MAW* 


OUR   PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 

THEIR    TEACHERS,    PUPILS,    AND    PATRONS 


OUR  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 

THEIR  TEACHERS,  PUPILS,  AND  PATRONS 


BY 


OSCAR   T.   CORSON,   LL.D. 

FORMERLY    STATE    COMMISSIONER    OF 
COMMON    SCHOOLS    FOR    OHIO 


AMERICAN    BOOK    COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  CINCINNATI  CHICAGO 

BOSTON  ATLANTA 


.<£• 


COPYRIGHT,  1918,  BY  OSCAR  T.  CORSON 
COPYRIGHT,  1920,  BY  AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY 


CORSON'S  OUR  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 


DEPT. 


CONTENTS 

OUR  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM 

I.    PURPOSE  AND  IMPORTANCE  OF  OUR  SCHOOL  SYSTEM  9 

II.    IMPROVEMENT  or  THE  SCHOOLS      ....  20 

THE  SUCCESSFUL  TEACHER 

III.  NATURAL  CHARACTERISTICS 37 

IV.  ACQUIRED  ABILITIES 52 

THE  TEACHER'S   GROWTH  AND   SURPLUS 

V.    THE  TEACHERS'  READING  CIRCLE          .        .        .  71 

VI.    TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES 85 

VII.    PHYSICAL  VITALITY  AND  MENTAL  GROWTH    .        .97 

VIII.    A  SURPLUS  or  HEART  POWER        .        .        .        .  in 

THE  TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

IX.    ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS    .        .        .        .121 

X.    RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS       .  138 

SCHOOL  SENTIMENT 

XL    THE  POWER  OF  SENTIMENT 159 

XII.    SCHOOL  SENTIMENT  AND  REGULAR  ATTENDANCE    .  167 

XIII.  SCHOOL  SENTIMENT  AND  GOOD  BEHAVIOR      .        .  180 

XIV.  SCHOOL  SENTIMENT  AND  DILIGENT  EFFORT    .        .193 
XV.    INFLUENCE  OF  MORAL  SENTIMENT         .        .        .  204 

COOPERATION 

XVI.    TEACHERS  AND  PUPILS 219 

XVII.    MUTUAL  AID  AND  COMMON  AIMS  ....  233 

XVIII.    THE  HELP  OF  THE  HOME 248 

XIX.    COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS     .        .259 

XX.    PARENTS  AND  THE  SCHOOL 271 

5 


4329S4 


OUR   PUBLIC   SCHOOL   SYSTEM 


THE  PURPOSE  AND  IMPORTANCE  OF  OUR 
PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM 

THE  free  Public  School  System  of  the  United  States 
represents  the  Nation's  most  serious  attempt  to 
make  valid  the  fundamental  statement  in  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence  that  all  men  are  created  equal 
and  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with  certain  inalienable 
rights  which  include  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness ;  for  the  public  school  is  the  one  place  in  all  the  world 
where  there  is  guaranteed  absolute  equality  of  educational 
opportunity  to  all,  where  wealth  and  ancestry,  in  and  of 
themselves,  count  for  nothing,  and  where  brains  and  char- 
acter and  industry  are  certain  to  win  the  recognition  they 
merit. 

The  chief  purpose  of  the  school.  —  In  the  public  school 
the  rights  of  the  children  are  sacredly  safeguarded ;  their 
physical,  mental,  and  moral  life  carefully  conserved;  and 
their  liberties  made  possible  and  permanent  by  a  training 
which  teaches  them  to  recognize  and  obey  wholesome  au- 
thority, kindly  but  firmly  exercised,  and  to  respect  the  rights 
of  others  —  a  training  which  is  absolutely  essential  to  any 
one  who  is  ever  either  to  pursue  or  to  possess  happiness. 

The  importance  of  an  institution  can  be  measured  by 
the  demands  made  upon  it  by  its  friends,  who  give  to  it 
their  cordial  support.  By  this  standard  the  public  school 
must  be  recognized  as  a  large  factor  in  the  life  of  the  people. 


1C      ;  V  J  OUR    PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

Each  year  brings  with  it  new  demands  upon  the  school. 
A  few  decades  ago,  its  course  of  study  was  brief  and  simple, 
including  little  more  than  the  "  Three  R's."  To  day,  a 
multiplicity  of  subjects  are  found  in  the  curriculum,  and 
the  teacher  of  a  public  school  is  expected  to  be  well  in- 
formed on  all  of  them. 

The  school  curriculum.  —  The  growth  of  the  public 
school  curriculum  furnishes  a  most  interesting  study.  To 
the  critics  who  censure  teachers  for  what  is  deemed  an 
overcrowded  condition  of  this  curriculum,  it  can  be  truth- 
fully said  that  the  teachers  are  not  responsible  for  it. 
Few,  if  any,  instances  can  be  cited  of  the  addition  of  a 
needless  study,  at  the  request  or  suggestion  of  a  teacher. 
Many  causes  have  contributed  to  the  growth  and  en- 
largement of  the  course  of  study,  the  chief  cause  being 
an  actual  need  in  the  life  of  the  people  for  such  growth 
and  enlargement. 

As  our  nation  grew  in  population  and  expanded  in  terri- 
tory, and  as  our  trade  with  other  countries  developed, 
there  arose  a  natural  demand  for  Geography  and  it  was 
added  as  an  important  study.  History  followed,  because 
of  a  well-founded  belief  that  in  such  a  government  as  ours 
it  is  very  necessary  for  the  youth  of  the  nation  to  have  an 
intelligent  idea  of  its  founding,  development,  and  purpose. 
Drawing  was  added  soon  after  the  Paris  Exposition,  held 
in  1867,  largely  as  the  result  of  a  petition  by  manufacturers 
who  had  observed  in  this  exposition  that  America's  exhibit 
was  not  up  to  the  standard  of  other  nations  in  artistic 
products.  Later  on,  under  the  leadership  of  the  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union,  legislation  was  enacted  in 
practically  all  the  states  of  the  Union  requiring  the  public 


PURPOSE    AND   IMPORTANCE  II 

school  to  teach  Physiology  and  Hygiene  with  special  refer- 
ence to  the  effects  of  alcohol  and  narcotics  on  the  human 
system.  Some  of  us,  whose  musical  education  has  been 
neglected,  are  without  training  in  this  important  branch, 
because  in  our  youth  the  "  singing  school  "  of  the  neigh- 
borhood had  ceased  to  be,  and  the  public  school  had  not 
yet  taken  up  this  branch  which  is  now  considered  an  essen- 
tial in  the  course  of  study  in  all  efficient  schools.  Within 
the  memory  of  many  is  the  time  when  cooking  and  sewing 
were  taught  in  almost  every  household.  Now  many 
homes,  either  because  of  indifference  to  the  importance 
of  such  training,  or  on  account  of  the  outside  demands 
made  upon  the  time  and  energies  of  the  mother,  give  little 
or  no  attention  to  these  essential  household  arts,  and  the 
school  is  therefore  required  to  teach  Domestic  Economy 
and  Home  Making.  Not  long  ago,  local  blacksmith  shops, 
wagon-maker  shops,  carpenter  shops,  and  other  similar 
institutions  furnished  the  opportunity  for  boys  to  learn 
trades.  Now  since  such  shops  no  longer  exist,  the  school 
is  called  upon  to  provide  manual  training  in  its  various 
forms,  industrial  training,  and  vocational  training. 

The  demands  herein  enumerated,  all  of  which  are  reason- 
able, will  serve  to  illustrate  how  rapidly  the  requirements 
made  upon  the  public  school  have  been  increasing.  It  is 
evident  that  whenever  anything  which  needs  to  be  well 
done,  ceases  to  be  done  by  the  home  or  by  other  private 
agency,  the  public  school  is  expected  to  take  up  the  work. 
Such  demands  and  expectations  on  the  part  of  the  friends 
of  the  public  school  are  highly  complimentary  to  its  ef- 
ficiency and  mark  it  as  a  most  important  institution  in 
our  national  life. 


12  OUR   PUBLIC   SCHOOL   SYSTEM 

Destructive  criticism.  —  The  importance  of  an  institu- 
tion can  also  be  measured  by  the  destructive  criticism 
directed  against  it  by  those  who,  for  any  reason,  are  un- 
friendly to  it.  Judged  by  this  standard,  the  public  school 
must  again  be  recognized  as  a  most  important  factor  in  the 
life  of  to-day. 

Some  of  this  destructive  criticism  comes  from  a  class  of 
would-be  aristocrats  who  are  not  in  sympathy  with  the 
"  common  school  "  because  they  are  not  in  sympathy  with 
the  common  people.  By  such  critics  education  is  con- 
sidered a  luxury  which  should  be  possessed  only  by  the 
select  few  composed  of  the  rich,  the  powerful,  and  the 
influential.  To  their  narrow  vision,  education  is  really 
needful  or  beneficial  only  to  the  clergy  or  other  members 
of  the  so-called  learned  professions.  In  their  opinion,  to 
attempt  to  educate  "  all  the  children  of  all  the  people" 
is  wrong  in  principle  and  harmful  in  practice. 

Another  class  of  destructive  critics  is  composed  of  persons 
found  in  various  walks  of  life,  who  have  an  unnatural  crav- 
ing for  public  notice.  Since  they  lack  the  ability  to  furnish 
any  evidence  of  original  thought  or  constructive  criticism 
and  the  industry  to  secure  recognition  by  any  service  of 
real  merit,  their  only  hope  of  gaining  the  notoriety  which 
they  so  constantly  seek,  is  found  in  making  some  sensa- 
tional statement  which  will  secure  for  them  prominent 
mention  in  the  headlines  of  a  sensational  paper  or  the 
applause  of  an  audience  of  unthinking  people  with  itching 
ears  for  some  new  and  strange  doctrine,  however  false  it 
may  be.  A  consuming  passion  for  such  notoriety  on  the 
part  of  such  critics  is  the  only  possible  explanation  for 
their  extremely  radical  and  equally  false  statements  re- 


PURPOSE   AND   IMPORTANCE  13 

garding  the  work  of  the  public  school.  It  is  a  matter  of 
sincere  regret  that  this  class  includes  a  few  professors  in 
colleges,  universities,  and  training  schools  for  teachers, 
who  seem  to  be  more  anxious  to  be  classed  as  "  advanced 
thinkers  "  or  "  original  investigators"  than  they  are  to 
be  honest  observers  of  what  really  exists. 

Criticism  of  this  type  is  usually  harmless  and  sometimes 
amusing,  when  presented  for  the  consideration  of  persons 
who  are  intelligently  informed  as  to  what  is  really  being 
accomplished  in  a  modern  public  school.  But  in  many 
instances  harmful  results  come  from  such  criticism,  because 
uninformed  people  are  often  inclined  to  take  it  seriously 
on  account  of  the  natural,  though  incorrect,  assumption 
that  important  educational  positions  in  the  higher  educa- 
tional institutions  are  always  filled  with  intelligent  and 
sensible  occupants  who  are  competent  to  criticize  and 
honest  enough  to  refrain  from  criticism  when  they  are 
ignorant  of  conditions. 

The  most  caustic  type  of  destructive  criticism  to  which 
the  public  school  is  subjected,  finds  expression  in  the 
columns  of  a  few  newspapers  and  magazines.  While  some 
of  this  criticism  is,  no  doubt,  due  to  ignorance,  there  is 
good  reason  to  believe  that  much  of  it  is  published  with  a 
full  knowledge  that  it  is  unfair  and  unjust.  It  is  not  un- 
reasonable to  presume  that  its  publication  is  persisted  in 
because  of  a  belief  that  it  will  create  a  sensation  and  re- 
sult in  increased  revenues  to  the  publisher. 

Critics  and  faultfinders.  —  Ignorance  is  the  primary 
source  of  most  of  the  destructive  criticism  of  the  work  of 
the  public  school,  and  ignorance  is  always  harsh  in  its 
judgments  and  dogmatic  in  its  demands.  In  many  in- 


14  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

stances,  ignorance  condemns  what  it  merely  presumes  is 
taking  place  in  the  schools,  when  an  attempt  to  discover 
the  truth  would  certainly  reveal  the  fact  that  the  alleged 
objectionable  feature,  thus  ignorantly  criticized,  has  not 
had  an  existence  for  many  years. 

Ignorance  declares  that  the  public  schools  are  destructive 
of  individuality.  The  truth  is  that  the  public  schools  fur- 
nish the  best  opportunity  in  the  world  for  the  cultivation 
of  all  that  is  best,  as  well  as  the  elimination  of  much  that 
is  worst,  in  individuality.  Each  year  of  our  educational 
progress  shows  a  marked  advancement  in  the  improvement 
of  methods  of  teaching  and  of  discipline. 

Ignorance  publishes  the  statement  that  only  an  insig- 
nificant percentage  of  boys  and  girls  ever  attend  the  high 
school  and  that  the  small  number  in  attendance  is  rapidly 
decreasing.  The  simplest  computation  in  percentage,  per- 
fectly plain  to  any  one  whose  stupidity  is  not  abnormal, 
and  equally  convincing  to  all  whose  dishonesty  is  not  in- 
curable, proves  the  absolute  falsity  of  the  first  part  of  this 
statement.  Crowded  high  schools  in  township,  village, 
town,  and  city  and  the  inability  of  school  authorities  to 
plan  and  erect  new  buildings  fast  enough  to  meet  the  ever 
increasing  demands  of  a  phenomenally  rapid  increase  of 
high  school  attendance,  certainly  furnish  abundant  proof  of 
the  falsity  of  the  inexcusable  misrepresentation  persisted 
in  by  those  who  even  pretend  to  believe  the  second  part  of 
the  statement. 

Morality  in  the  public  schools.  —  Ignorance  charges  that 
the  public  schools  are  immoral  and  that  the  children  who 
attend  them  are  in  constant  danger  of  moral  contamination. 
To  this  charge,  the  personal  experience  of  millions  of  men 


PURPOSE    AND   IMPORTANCE  15 

and  women,  educated  in  the  public  schools,  enters  a  most 
emphatic  denial  and  protest.  They  recall  with  pleasure 
and  gratitude  the  many  influences  for  right  living  and 
against  wrong  doing,  which  the  public  school  constantly 
exercises. 

The  most  potent  of  all  these  influences  is  the  per- 
sonal influence  of  the  teacher.  All  certificates  granted 
to  teachers  in  the  public  schools  certify  to  good  moral 
character  as  well  as  to  academic  and  professional  quali- 
fications. Immorality  on  the  part  of  teachers  is  as  ex- 
ceptional as  immorality  on  the  part  of  ministers,  and 
creates  as  much  surprise  and  arouses  as  great  indignation, 
jjbjs  impossible  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  personal  in- 
fluence of  a  good  teacher  in  the  lives  of  boys  and  girls ;  and 
there  are  few,  if  any  of  us,  who  are  not  ready  to  acknowl- 
edge the  debt  of  gratitude  we  owe  to  the  influence  of  the 
public  school  teacher  in  the  formation  of  character. 

In  the  daily  work  of  the  classroom,  the  highest  ideals  of 
truthfulness,  honesty,  obedience,  industry,  promptness,  and 
other  virtues  are  constantly  inculcated,  and  in  the  games 
of  the  playground  the  great  lessons  of  fairness,  justice,  self- 
control,  and  respect  for  the  rights  of  others  are  learned  as 
in  no  other  experience.  It  is  in  the  public  school  that 
many  a  strong-willed,  high-tempered,  hot-blooded  little 
aristocrat,  who  imagines  that  he  is  monarch  of  all  he  sur- 
veys, learns  his  first  lesson  in  the  morals  which  are  funda- 
mental in  the  life  of  a  true  democracy.  Fortunate,  indeed, 
will  it  be  for  both  his  future  welfare  and  that  of  the  state, 
if  he  takes  the  lesson  kindly  and  prepares  himself  for  future 
leadership  by  present  obedience  and  the  development  of  a 
spirit  of  unselfish  service  for  others.  Equally  unfortunate 


1 6  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL   SYSTEM 

may  it  be,  should  his  parents  transfer  him  from  the  public 
school  to  some  private  school  under  the  false  impression 
that  morals  are  taught  in  the  latter  and  are  neglected  in 
the  former.  As  a  rule  no  great  change  for  the  better  in 
the  moral  life  of  the  young  will  be  effected  by  sending 
them  to  private  schools  or  academies.  In  the  majority 
of  instances  the  moral  atmosphere  of  such  schools  is  no 
better  than  that  of  the  public  schools  and  in  some  instances 
it  is  not  nearly  so  good. 

An  important  lesson  of  the  war.  —  The  World  War  has 
taught  some  important  lessons  which  should  be  given 
careful  consideration  by  all  who  are  interested  in  the 
education  of  the  children  and  youth  of  our  country.  One 
of  the  most  important  of  these  lessons  seems  to  be  entirely 
ignored  by  the  destructive  critics  of  our  public  school 
system,  whose  chief  characteristic  is  their  determination 
not  to  give  any  consideration  to  facts  which  are  at  variance 
with  their  hastily  formed  opinions  or  preconceived  notions. 
It  is  quite  natural  that  such  critics  should  disregard  the 
proof,  furnished  by  the  war,  that  practically  all  their 
destructive  criticism,  so  persistently  made  before  the  war, 
was  without  foundation.  How  often  they  declared  that 
the  public  school  system  was  utterly  failing  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  its  purpose ;  that  it  had  become  so  "  femi- 
nized "  that  the  boys  were  growing  up  without  manly 
characteristics  or  power  of  initiative  to  help  themselves, 
without  courage  or  ability  to  do  hard  things;  and  worst 
of  all  —  something  which  they  do  not  now  like  to  have 
recalled,  that  the  only  hope  for  the  American  public  school 
system  was  to  "  Prussianize  "  it  in  order  to  make  it  efficient. 

To  all  such  criticism,  the  record  of  the  American  soldiers 


PURPOSE   AND    IMPORTANCE  Ij 

has  furnished  a  most  convincing  and  conclusive  answer. 
Nearly  all  of  them  received  their  elementary  education  in 
the  public  school.  The  majority  of  them  were  without 
any  additional  training.  Some  of  them  went  directly 
from  school  to  the  cantonments  for  a  few  weeks  or  months, 
and  then  to  the  battle  front.  All  of  them,  with  the  true 
ideals  of  democracy  taught  and  practiced  in  the  public 
school,  obediently  answered  the  call  of  their  country  and 
of  oppressed  humanity  across  the  sea,  and  enlisted  to  fight 
the  most  perfect  military  machine  the  world  has  ever 
known.  At  the  Marne,  Chateau-Thierry,  the  Argonne 
Forest,  Sedan,  and  many  other  places,  now  sacred  to  the 
memory  of  all  who  love  freedom  and  hate  tyranny,  they 
met  the  picked  troops  of  the  German  army,  stopped  their 
cruel  onslaught  on  civilization,  and  completely  routed 
them.  By  the  victories  won,  they  settled  for  all  time 
that  the  much-boasted  efficiency  of  the  German  soldiers, 
educated  in  the  much-praised  German  schools,  and  trained 
in  the  world-renowned  German  military  camps,  was  no 
match  for  the  spirit  of  the  American  soldiers,  the  product 
of  the  American  public  school  system,  with  only  a  brief 
military  training.  The  whole  world,  including  conceited 
Germany  and  the  destructive  critics  of  American  educa- 
tion, now  knows  that  American  soldiers  possess  manly 
characteristics,  power  of  initiative  to  help  themselves, 
and  a  dauntless  courage  rarely,  if  ever,  equaled  in  the 
history  of  warfare. 

It  would  be  gross  injustice  to  the  teachers  of  America  to 
fail  to  recognize  this  lesson  which  the  world  war  has  so 
conclusively  taught ;  or  to  withhold  from  them  the  credit 
which  is  their  due,  and  which  should  be  gratefully  given 

OUR  PUB.   S.  —  2 


1 8  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

not  only  as  a  matter  of  fairness  to  them,  but  also  in  order 
that  they  may  thereby  be  encouraged  to  continue  their 
work  with  even  greater  devotion  and  success  than  ever 
before. 

Imperfections  and  deficiencies.  —  It  must  not  be  as- 
sumed that  a  defense  of  the  public  school  and  its  teachers 
signifies  a  belief  that  perfection  has  been  attained  by  either. 
It  does  mean,  however,  a  well-founded  and  deeply  grounded 
belief  that  the  public  school  is  one  of  the  most  important 
factors  in  both  the  individual  and  collective  life  of  our 
Nation,  and  an  abiding  faith  in  the  competency  and  effi- 
ciency of  a  large  majority  of  its  teachers.  There  has  been 
and  is  now  too  much  condemnation  of  schools  by  ignorant, 
prejudiced,  destructive  critics  who  are  ever  ready  to  tear 
down  but  who  seldom  are  able  to  propose  anything  to  take 
the  place  of  what  they  condemn  and  attempt  to  destroy. 

The  imperfections  of  the  public  school  system  and  the 
deficiencies  of  public  school  teachers  are  well  known  to 
their  friends.  These  friends,  however,  believe  that  such 
imperfections  and  deficiencies  can  best  be  remedied  by 
that  kindly,  considerate,  and  suggestively  constructive 
criticism  which  constantly  seeks  for  something  worthy  of 
commendation  as  a  foundation  on  which  to  build,  and 
then  outlines  in  a  definite  manner  both  the  characteristics 
of  the  proposed  improvement  and  the  process  by  which 
it  is  to  be  realized.  Criticism  of  this  nature  is  most  wel- 
come and  will  always  be  gratefully  received  and  promptly 
utilized  by  the  teachers  and  friends  of  the  public  schools. 

The  purpose  of  this  book.  —  With  an  abiding  con- 
fidence in  the  beneficent  mission  of  the  public  school  as 
an  institution,  along  with  a  full  recognition  of  its  imper- 


PURPOSE    AND   IMPORTANCE  19 

factions  and  deficiencies;  with  an  equally  abiding  faith 
in  the  growing  efficiency  of  its  teachers,  together  with  an 
intimate  personal  knowledge  of  their  readiness  to  admit 
their  limitations  and  failures;  with  a  firm  belief  that 
commendation  of  existing  good  is  always  more  helpful 
than  wholesale  denunciation  of  everything  that  has  been 
done,  because  some  things  may  not  have  been  well  done ; 
and  with  an  earnest  hope  that  something  suggestively 
helpful  may  be  found  in  this  volume,  it  is  presented  for 
the  kindly  consideration  of  all  teachers  and  friends  of 
public  education,  who  love  the  public  school  for  what  it 
has  done  and  who  are  unitedly  working  to  make  its  future 
more  glorious  than  its  past. 


II 

IMPROVEMENT   OF   THE   SCHOOLS 

THE   destructive  critic  who  finds  no  good  in  the 
public  schools  as  they  now  exist,  usually  insists 
that   "  an   educational   revolution "    is    the    only 
means  by  which  they  can  be  improved.     To  him  there  is 
nothing  in  their  past  history  or  present  practice  which  is 
worth  conserving  or  worthy  of  serious  consideration.     De- 
stroy everything  in  existence  and  start  anew  is  his  motto. 

Not  revolution  but  evolution.  —  On  the  other  hand,  the 
constructive  critic  believes  that  what  the  public  schools 
need  to  enable  them  to  keep  on  improving  as  they  have 
been  doing  in  the  past  and  as  they  are  doing  at  present, 
is  not  "  an  educational  revolution  "  but  a  continuation 
of  the  gradual  but  effective  evolution  which  has  been 
going  on  all  through  the  years  since  their  establishment. 
He  would  build  for  the  future  upon  the  good  which  the 
past  has  achieved  and  which  the  present  reveals,  using 
the  lamp  of  experience  to  guide  him  on  the  pathway  of 
future  progress.  An  intelligent  study  of  the  history  of 
the  progress  of  public  education  and  a  careful  observation 
of  current  events  and  present  tendencies  in  the  educational 
world,  plainly  indicate  that  there  are  a  number  of  important 
agencies  constantly  at  work  for  the  improvement  of  the 
public  schools. 

School  legislation.  —  One  of  these  important  agencies  is 
legislation.  Any  one  who  is  at  all  conversant  with  the 
history  of  school  legislation  in  the  different  states  of  the 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SCHOOLS          21 

Union  and  who  is  well  informed  as  to  the  more  recent 
school  laws  enacted  in  many  states,  must  be  convinced  that 
the  public  schools  are  gradually  but  surely  growing  in  the 
public  esteem  as  indicated  by  the  increasingly  favorable 
consideration  accorded  them  by  members  of  the  legislature 
and  other  public  officials.  Practically  all  the  recently 
enacted  school  laws  indicate  a  serious  purpose  not  only 
to  eliminate  the  objectionable  features  and  strengthen  the 
weak  points  of  previous  laws,  but  also  to  provide  for  such 
additional  aids  in  the  improvement  of  the  public  schools 
as  legislation  can  reasonably  hope  to  furnish. 

Perhaps  the  most  prominent  features  of  all  recent  school 
legislation  are  the  provisions  which  relate  to  teachers  — 
their  academic  and  professional  preparation,  certification, 
tenure  of  office,  and  salaries  —  and  to  a  more  definite  and 
intelligent  supervision  of  the  work  of  the  schools,  especially 
in  the  rural  districts. 

The  general  purpose  of  such  legislation  is  most  com- 
mendable. It  is  important,  however,  that  in  executing 
all  laws,  especially  new  ones,  the  spirit  rather  than  the 
letter  of  the  statute  should  govern.  In  no  instance  should 
the  legal  demand  for  a  specified  amount  of  academic  and 
professional  training  be  so  enforced  as  to  work  an  injury 
to  experienced  and  efficient  teachers  who  may  not  be  able 
to  meet  all  the  requirements  of  the  exact  letter  of  the  law 
relating  to  such  formal  training,  but  whose  success  in 
the  actual  work  of  the  schoolroom,  as  measured  by  all 
reasonable  tests,  is  unquestioned. 

It  is  not  wise  to  assume  that  all  teachers  who  have  not 
been  formally  trained  are  necessarily  failures,  or  that  all 
who  have  had  formal  training,  for  either  a  minimum  or 


22  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

maximum  period,  are  certain  to  succeed.  Teachers  can- 
not be  labeled  with  a  "  guarantee  "  under  the  provisions 
of  a  school  law,  as  foods  and  drugs  are  under  the  food  and 
drug  act,  with  date  and  serial  number  attached.  In  mak- 
ing these  comments,  no  reflection  upon  the  right  kind  of 
professional  training  is  intended.  Such  training  is  all 
important  in  its  place,  and  a  reasonable  enforcement  of 
the  legal  requirements  that  teachers  make  better  prepara- 
tion for  their  work  will  certainly  result  in  an  improvement 
of  the  public  schools. 

Examination  and  certification.  —  Closely  related  to  the 
legal  requirements  for  the  better  preparation  of  teachers 
for  their  work  is  the  question  of  their  proper  certification. 
In  recent  years  there  has  been  a  rapidly  growing  feeling 
that  in  connection  with  such  certification,  many  abuses 
have  grown  up  and  great  injustice  has  been  done  to  some 
of  the  most  earnest  and  progressive  teachers.  Many 
teachers  have  a  conviction  that  they  have  been  singled 
out  and  made  the  victims  of  what  they  term  the  "  examina- 
tion grind." 

Their  feeling  is  aptly  illustrated  by  the  well-known 
anecdote  descriptive  of  the  experience  which  came  to  a 
teacher  in  a  dream.  In  this  vision  of  the  night,  the  teacher 
appeared  before  the  pearly  gates,  hoping  for  entrance  to 
the  heavenly  home  for  which  she  felt  a  life  of  faithful  service 
had  prepared  her.  With  characteristic  patience,  she  silently 
observed  the  methods  of  procedure  pursued  by  others  in 
securing  recognition.  First  a  minister  of  the  gospel  pre- 
sented his  claims  and  was  immediately  and  cordially  in- 
vited to  enter  the  door  which  opened  wide  to  receive  him. 
A  physician  then  told  of  his  great  service  to  humanity  in 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  23 

relieving  pain  and  healing  sickness,  and  was  bidden  to 
enter.  A  lawyer  eloquently  pleaded  his  own  case,  was 
given  a  merciful  verdict,  and  secured  admission.  With 
modesty  and  timidity,  the  teacher  then  told  of  her  work 
with  the  children  in  training  their  minds  and  molding 
their  characters,  and,  in  supplicating  tones,  asked  if  she 
might  come  in.  A  brief  conference  followed,  at  the  close 
of  which  she  was  informed  that  before  entrance  could  be 
granted,  she  would  have  to  pass  a  teachers'  examination. 

It  is  no  doubt  true  that,  in  the  past,  teachers  have  been 
subjected  to  too  many  examinations  of  the  technical  type, 
which  are  narrowing  to  the  vision  and  deadening  to  the 
growth  of  all  true  educators.  School  legislation,  which 
purposes  to  remedy  this  wrong,  is  worthy  of  commenda- 
tion. There  is  danger,  however,  that  the  reform  may  go 
too  far  and  that  schools  of  real  merit  and  teachers  of 
genuine  worth  may  suffer  as  a  result.  The  primary  pur- 
pose of  requiring  teachers  of  the  public  schools  to  secure 
certificates  before  entering  upon  the  work  of  teaching  is  to 
protect  the  boys  and  girls  who  attend  the  schools  from  igno- 
rance, incompetence,  and  immorality.  In  thus  protecting 
the  children  against  inferiority,  the  more  competent  teachers 
also  receive  a  benefit  in  being  relieved  from  the  harmful 
competition  of  a  cheap  class  of  teachers  —  a  competition 
which  would  not  only  lower  educational  standards  but  also 
reduce  salaries,  since  such  teachers  would  willingly  teach 
for  less  because  they  know  their  services  are  worth  less. 
It  is,  therefore,  perfectly  evident  that  a  careful  test  of 
qualifications  for  teachers  is  of  primary  importance  to  the 
welfare  of  not  only  all  the  pupils  but  also  the  best-trained 
and  most  competent  teachers  of  the  public  schools. 


24  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL   SYSTEM 

It  is  certainly  necessary  that  all  who  have  not  been 
specially  trained  for  the  work  of  teaching  should  be  re- 
quired to  pass  a  fair  test  of  their  knowledge  of  the  subjects 
to  be  taught  before  being  granted  a  certificate  to  teach, 
and  there  is  no  valid  reason  for  exempting  those  who  have 
been  specially  trained  for  the  work  from  a  similar  test. 
There  is  always  cause  for  suspecting  the  efficiency  of  the 
preparation  of  any  one  to  do  anything,  when  he  constantly 
resorts  to  all  kinds  of  subterfuges  to  avoid  a  reasonable 
test  of  the  preparation  which  he  claims  to  possess.  The 
one  important  thing  is  that  all  tests  be  fair  and  that  they 
be  conducted  by  persons  who  are  competent  to  judge  of 
the  qualifications  of  a  teacher. 

Provisional  and  permanent  certificates.  —  While  it  may 
be  advisable,  as  a  rule,  to  grant  provisional  certificates, 
valid  for  a  brief  period,  to  specially  trained  teachers  upon 
the  recommendation  of  the  authorities  in  charge  of  the 
schools  in  which  the  special  training  is  received,  yet  it  is 
not  unreasonable  to  ask  all  such  teachers  to  give  evidence 
of  their  qualifications  to  teach  by  passing  a  reasonable 
examination  conducted  by  the  state  superintendent  of 
schools,  a  state  board  of  education,  or  other  agency  repre- 
senting the  state.  Any  institution  whose  work  is  well 
done  should  not  and  will  not  hesitate  to  have  it  fairly 
tested. 

To  presume  that  an  examination  by  an  appointed  agency 
of  the  state  cannot  or  will  not  be  conducted  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  give  justice  to  all,  is  unreasonable.  The  state 
carefully  examines  all  applicants  for  entrance  into  the  legal 
and  medical  professions  and  thereby  protects,  in  a  measure 
at  least,  future  clients  and  patients  from  the  harmful  results 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  2$ 

of  ignorance  and  incompetence  of  lawyers  and  physicians. 
Most  of  the  complaints  of  unfairness  or  injustice  resulting 
from  these  examinations  come  from  applicants  who  fail 
because  of  poor  teaching  or  lack  of  application  as  students, 
or  from  institutions  without  the  necessary  equipment  to 
do  efficient  work.  .It  is  true  that  there  is  always  a  possi- 
bility that  an  examining  board  may  have  in  its  membership 
representatives  of  incompetency  and  inefficiency,  and  that 
examinations  conducted  by  such  a  board  may  be  unfair 
and  unreasonable  in  the  tests  submitted  and  unjust,  per- 
haps occasionally  even  dishonest,  in  the  certificates 
granted.  It  is,  however,  equally  true  that  there  is  at 
least  an  equal  possibility  that  the  faculty  of  a  training 
school  for  teachers  may  also  have  in  its  membership  repre- 
sentatives of  equal  incompetence  and  inefficiency  who  may 
recommend  for  teachers'  certificates  those  who  are  not  at 
all  qualified  for  the  work  of  teaching.  It  can  always  be 
safely  assumed  that  a  large  majority  of  the  membership 
of  both  examining  boards  and  training  school  faculties  are 
competent,  efficient,  and  honest.  The  best  method  of 
certificating  teachers  always  recognizes  the  necessity  of  a 
friendly  and  sympathetic  cooperation  on  the  part  of  the 
representatives  of  both.  A  wise  examiner  of  either  pupils 
or  teachers  always  gives  due  consideration  to  the  work 
and  recommendations  of  those  who  have  prepared  the 
applicants  to  be  tested,  and  a  successful  teacher  of  either 
pupils  or  teachers  always  welcomes  a  fair  test  of  the  prod- 
uct of  his  teaching. 

While  the  certification  of  beginners  to  teach  involves  a 
number  of  difficulties  and  should  have  the  serious  con- 
sideration of  all  who  are  charged  with  the  responsibility  of 


26  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

directing  educational  affairs,  a  much  more  difficult  problem 
presents  itself  for  solution  in  connection  with  the  certifica- 
tion of  teachers  of  experience.  What  policy  should  be 
pursued  with  reference  to  them?  It  is  certainly  unjust, 
unfair,  and  unreasonable  to  insist  that  really  successful 
teachers  should  be  subjected  to  repeated  examinations  in 
either  the  common  or  higher  branches  after  they  have 
given  satisfactory  evidence  of  a  fairly  broad  and  reasonably 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  subjects  which  they  are  required 
to  teach.  On  the  other  hand  there  ought  to  be  some  method 
of  eliminating  the  class  of  teachers  whose  increasing  ex- 
perience brings  with  it  a  corresponding  decrease  of  knowl- 
edge of  all  subjects  and  of  power  to  teach  any  subject.  It 
is  unfortunately  true  that  teachers  of  this  class  can  usually 
secure  from  some  official  source  the  recommendations 
necessary  to  meet  any  formal  requirement  of  the  law  which 
provides  that  temporary  certificates  shall  be  made  perma- 
nent, after  a  certain  specified  period  of  successful  teaching. 
To  such  teachers  a  permanent  certificate  is  considered  a 
warrant  to  cease  all  further  study  or  thought  of  growth. 
Could  permanent  certificates,  held  by  indifferent  or  self- 
satisfied  teachers,  who  have  no  desire  to  add  to  their  knowl- 
edge or  to  increase  their  teaching  power,  be  revoked  for 
indolence  as  well  as  for  immorality,  the  best  interests  of 
the  schools  would  thereby  be  conserved  and  the  rights  of 
deserving  teachers  protected. 

All  teachers  who  are  worthy  of  holding  a  permanent 
certificate  are  constantly  alert  to  the  importance  of  self- 
improvement  and  better  preparation  for  their  work.  To 
them  such  a  certificate  is  something  more  than  an  insurance 
policy  to  secure  them  against  all  possibility  of  a  necessity 


IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SCHOOLS  2^ 

for  future  effort  of  any  kind.  While  it  is  a  much-appreciated 
recognition  of  acquired  knowledge  and  teaching  skill,  its 
greatest  value  is  as  an  incentive  to  better  scholarship  and 
higher  professional  attainments. 

For  the  separation  of  experienced  teachers  into  the  two 
classes,  —  deserving  and  undeserving,  for  devising  methods 
for  a  proper  recognition  of  the  former  and  the  elimination 
of  the  latter,  and  for  the  impartial  execution  of  methods 
so  devised,  —  we  must  look  to  wise  boards  of  education  and 
courageous  superintendents  rather  than  to  school  legisla- 
tion. 

Tenure  of  office.  —  Closely  related  to  the  question  of 
the  certification  of  teachers  are  the  questions  of  tenure  of 
office  and  salaries,  both  of  which  have  been  the  object  of 
much  recent  school  legislation.  Laws  relating  to  these 
important  questions  are  necessarily  largely  limited  to 
general  provisions  protecting  worthy  teachers  in  their 
rights  and  fixing  a  minimum  compensation  for  their  services. 
For  a  solution  of-  these  exceedingly  important  problems  in 
detail,  we  must  again  look  to  competent  boards  of  educa- 
tion advised  by  intelligent  and  sympathetic  superintendents. 
The  teacher's  tenure  of  office  should  be  made  secure  enough 
to  encourage  faithfulness  and  efficiency,  but  not  so  secure 
as  to  make  possible  permanency  in  spite  of  laziness,  in- 
competency,  and  inefficiency. 

The  teacher's  reward.  —  While  real  teaching  power  can 
never  be  measured  in  terms  of  money  and  while  the  largest 
and  best  rewards  for  unselfish  devotion  to  the  work  of 
teaching  must  always  be  of  a  spiritual  rather  than  a  ma- 
terial nature,  it  is  nevertheless  a  necessity  that  better  pay 
be  provided  for  better  teachers  if  the  schools  are  to  have  a 


28  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

large  measure  of  improvement.  It  is  futile  to  expect  that 
laws  requiring  increasingly  higher  qualifications  for  teach- 
ers can  ever  produce  the  desired  results  unless  at  the  same 
time  there  is  guaranteed  an  increase  in  salaries  at  least 
commensurate  with  the  required  increase  in  qualifications. 
It  is  unreasonable  to  hope  that  enough  teachers  to  supply 
the  schools  will  feel  themselves  impelled  to  take  up  the 
hard  work  of  teaching  from  an  altruistic  impulse  alone. 
As  long  as  the  occupations  of  day  laborers,  carpenters, 
painters,  plumbers,  masons*,  street-car  conductors,  and 
others  of  a  similar  nature  offer  a  much  higher  financial 
return  for  service  much  less  exhausting  to  both  body  and 
mind  than  teaching,  any  law  requiring  superior  quali- 
fications for  teachers  will  be  largely  a  dead  letter. 

Supervision  indispensable.  —  The  value  of  intelligent 
supervision  of  schools  has  been  so  often  and  so  completely 
demonstrated  that  no  argument  in  its  favor  is  any  longer 
needed.  Conditions  naturally  demand  organization  and 
system  in  towns  and  cities,  and  organization  and  system 
in  turn  naturally  call  for  executive  direction  and  control. 
Supervision  has,  therefore,  been  considered  an  essential 
factor  in  town  and  city  school  systems  for  many  years. 
In  the  country  opposite  conditions  prevail.  As  a  result, 
the  rural  schools  have  not  generally  been  closely  organized 
or  definitely  supervised. 

In  the  majority  of  states  county  supervision  has  existed 
for  a  number  of  years  and  has  proved  its  value  in  securing 
a  better  general  organization  of  the  schools,  in  arousing  a 
deeper  interest  on  the  part  of  patrons,  and  in  creating  a 
stronger  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  higher  standards  of 
education.  The  greatest  defect  in  such  supervision  is 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SCHOOLS  2Q 

that,  on  account  of  the  large  extent  of  territory  to  be 
covered  and  the  large  number  of  schools  to  be  supervised, 
the  definite  and  repeated  inspection  of  the  work  of  in- 
dividual schools  and  teachers  is  not  possible.  Without 
such  inspection,  supervision  can  never  be  highly  efficient. 
In  a  few  states,  supervision  has  been  provided  for  smaller 
units  than  the  county,  such  as  the  township  or  district. 
When  such  units  have  been  able  to  provide  sufficient 
financial  support  to  insure  a  competent  superintendent, 
the  results  have  usually  been  eminently  satisfactory.  In 
a  number  of  states,  recently  enacted  school  laws  provide 
for  a  combination  of  county  and  district  supervision. 
Under  such  laws,  the  county  superintendent  is  the  executive 
officer  of  the  county  board  of  education  and  has  general 
oversight  of  the  schools  of  the  county.  The  assistant  or 
district  superintendents  are  sufficient  in  number  to  make 
possible  repeated  visits  to  each  school  and  thereby  insure 
an  intimate  personal  knowledge  of  the  work  of  each  teacher. 
With  such  knowledge  to  direct,  each  superintendent  is 
thereby  enabled  to  advise  and  help  teachers  in  such  a 
sympathetic  and  intelligent  manner  as  will  insure  better 
results. 

The  method  of  electing  superintendents,  their  formal 
qualifications,  and,  to  a  certain  extent,  their  duties,  can 
all  be  prescribed  by  the  letter  of  the  law.  The  enforce- 
ment of  the  spirit  of  the  law,  however,  is  made  possible 
only  by  an  enlightened  public  sentiment  which  will  not 
tolerate  the  use  of  the  public  schools  for  selfish  and  political 
purposes.  One  of  the  most  gratifying  indications  of  edu- 
cational progress  at  the  present  time  is  found  in  the  grow- 
ing determination  of  all  good  citizens  to  divorce  the  manage- 


30  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

ment  of  the  public  schools  from  partisan  politics,  and  to 
unite  in  selecting  the  best  men  and  women  to  direct  the 
educational  affairs  of  the  community.  After  the  people 
have  selected  capable  representatives  as  members  of  the 
board  of  education  and  they  in  turn  have  selected  a  compe- 
tent superintendent  and  qualified  teachers,  the  success  of 
the  administration  will  then  depend  almost  wholly  upon 
the  character  of  the  relation  existing  between  the  superin- 
tendent and  teachers.  If  this  relation  is  characterized  by 
intelligent  sympathy,  unswerving  loyalty,  and  hearty  co- 
operation, success  is  assured.  So  important  is  this  rela- 
tion that  a  separate  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  its  con- 
sideration. 

Courses  of  study.  —  A  second  important  agency  in  the 
betterment  of  the  public  schools  is  the  increasing  attention 
given  to  the  course  of  study  with  the  purpose  of  adapting 
it  more  and  more  to  the  real  needs  of  the  present  genera- 
tion. It  is  not  surprising  that  there  should  be  an  honest 
difference  of  opinion  among  educators  as  to  what  these 
real  needs  are  and,  therefore,  a  lack  of  unanimity  of  view 
as  to  how  they  may  best  be  met. 

In  the  past  the  theory  of  formal  discipline  has,  no  doubt, 
governed  too  largely  the  selection  of  studies  and,  as  a  re- 
sult, full  justice  has  not  been  done  to  many  of  the  pupils  of 
the  public  schools.  In  some  instances,  at  least,  the  dis- 
ciples of  this  theory,  in  their  zeal  to  provide  the  discipline 
which  they  consider  a  necessary  preparation  for  life,  have 
neglected  the  essential  training  which  prepares  for  making 
a  living.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  greater  injustice 
might  result  should  the  opposite  theory  prevail  and  the 
public  schools  be  wholly  converted  into  centers  for  indus- 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SCHOOLS          31 

trial  training  and  vocational  guidance.  Between  the  two 
extremes  can  certainly  be  found  the  golden  mean  which 
gladly  recognizes  the  value  of  any  or  all  training  which 
makes  for  discipline  as  a  better  preparation  for  life,  or 
which  furnishes  greater  skill  in  the  manual  and  industrial 
arts  as  a  better  preparation  for  making  a  living. 

The  cultural  and  the  practical.  — All  attempts  to  separate 
the  cultural  and  practical  or  to  place  them  in  antagonism 
are  to  be  deprecated.  Each  has  its  place  in  a  well-rounded 
system  of  education.  In  the  reconstruction  of  our  public 
school  system  to  meet  the  varying  needs  of  a  changing  civili- 
zation it  is  highly  important  that  neither  be  sacrificed  to 
the  interests  of  the  other.  The  need  of  well-trained  work- 
men and  workwomen  cannot  be  gainsaid.  But  there  is  an 
equally  imperative  need  that  men  and  women  who  toil  with 
their  hands  should  have  such  a  training  of  mind  and  heart 
as  will  enable  them  to  find  pleasure  and  profit  in  reading  a 
good  book,  in  viewing  a  fine  picture,  or  in  listening  to  choice 
music.  Vocational  guidance,  properly  given,  is  certainly 
commendable,  but  avocational  guidance  is  equally  necessary. 

Adaptation  to  the  individual.  —  A  third  agency  which 
indicates  a  determined  effort  to  better  public  school  condi- 
tions is  found  in  the  ever  increasing  consideration  given  to 
the  individual  needs  and  capacities  of  individual  pupils. 
This  is  manifested  in  the  ready  adaptation  of  methods  of 
discipline  and  instruction  to  suit  these  varying  needs  and 
capacities,  in  more  elastic  systems  of  gradation  and  promo- 
tion, in  the  careful  study  which  is  made  to  determine  the 
causes  of  retardation,  with  a  view  to  reducing  it  to  a  mini- 
mum, and  in  the  establishment  of  special  schools  for  the 
special  benefit  of  defective  children. 


32  OUR   PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 

The  old  claim  of  the  critic  of  the  public  schools  that  all 
the  children  are  required  to  "  lock-step  "  their  way  through 
the  grades,  without  any  consideration  of  their  different 
abilities  to  progress,  has  never  been  well  founded  in  fact; 
and,  in  view  of  all  the  means  now  used  to  furnish  special 
help  to  the  duller  pupils  and  special  opportunities  for 
advancement  to  the  brighter  ones,  such  a  claim  has  no 
validity  whatever. 

Physical  welfare  of  children.  —  The  increased  attention 
given  to  the  physical  welfare  of  the  children  and  the  en- 
larged provisions  made  for  their  physical  training  each 
year,  constitute  a  fourth  important  agency  in  the  better- 
ment of  the  public  schools.  Evidence  of  this  is  seen  on 
every  hand.  Old  buildings  are  remodeled  and  new  ones 
erected  with  well-equipped  gymnasiums  and  baths  together 
with  all  the  improvements  in  heating,  lighting,  and  ventila- 
tion, which  modern  science  and  architecture  can  suggest. 
Playgrounds  amply  equipped  and  well  supervised  are 
provided  for  the  children,  in  many  instances,  especially 
in  the  large  cities,  at  great  expense.  School  physicians 
and  nurses  are  at  hand  to  administer  to  present  needs,  to 
point  out  any  physical  defects  which  interfere  with  either 
the  mental  or  moral  development  of  the  child,  and  to 
guard  against  the  spread  of  contagious  diseases.  Open- 
air  schools  are  saving  the  lives  of  many  children  who 
would  otherwise  become  the  victims  of  tuberculosis. 

These  enumerated  evidences  and  many  others  of  a  simi- 
lar nature  must  convince  all  but  the  willfully  ignorant 
and  the  hopelessly  pessimistic  that  the  public  school  is 
to-day  perhaps  the  best  medium  of  conveying  to  the 
public,  and  thus  making  generally  effective,  the  latest 


IMPROVEMENT   OF   THE    SCHOOLS  33 

and  best  discoveries  relative  to  the  prevention  of  sickness 
and  disease. 

Important  agencies  of  improvement.  —  Better  school 
laws,  better  planned  courses  of  study,  more  sympathetic 
consideration  of  the  individual  needs  and  capacities  of  the 
individual  child,  and  greatly  improved  conditions  and  en- 
larged provisions  for  safeguarding  the  health  of  all  children, 
have  been  presented  as  a  few  of  the  more  important  agencies 
in  the  improvement  of  the  public  schools.  Important  as 
these  agencies  are,  they  do  not  include  the  chief  agency  for 
such  improvement.  There  is  always  danger  that  the  one 
absolutely  essential  factor  in  the  success  of  any  school  or 
system  of  education  may  be  lost  sight  of  in  a  complete 
absorption  of  attention  to  other  factors,  which,  while  es- 
sential as  helps  in  securing  desired  results,  should  always 
be  considered  as  secondary  in  importance.  A  concrete 
illustration  may  serve  to  make  this  plain. 

In  the  dining  room  of  a  hotel  in  an  eastern  city  two  men 
were  taking  lunch  at  the  same  table.  One  was  a  well- 
educated,  keen-eyed  traveling  man  who  was  successfully 
representing  a  large  business  house,  as  one  of  its  salesmen. 
The  other  had  devoted  his  life  to  public  school  work.  The 
conversation  finally  turned  to  the  subject  of  public  educa- 
tion in  which  the  traveling  man  manifested  a  deep  interest. 
A  number  of  school  issues  were  discussed  and  finally  the 
public  school  man  was  asked  to  name  the  city  visited  by 
him,  which  in  his  judgment  had  the  best  public  school 
system.  The  answer  was  substantially  as  follows : 

"  The  city  which  has  the  best  school  system  is  always 
the  city  which  employs  and  retains  the  largest  possible 
number  of  first-class  teachers." 

OUR  PUB.   S. — 3 


34  OUR   PUBLIC   SCHOOL   SYSTEM 

A  brief  pause  and  a  slight  intimation  of  surprise  mingled 
with  disappointment  on  the  part  of  the  questioner  at  what 
seemed  at  first  an  indefinite  answer  to  his  inquiry,  followed, 
and  then  his  observation  to  the  effect  that  he  presumed  the 
statement  was  true. 

That  the  statement  is  true,  no  one,  who  really  compre- 
hends what  constitutes  a  good  school,  has  any  doubt. 
"  As  is  the  teacher  so  is  the  school/'  a  maxim  as  true  as 
it  is  old,  must  ever  be  kept  in  mind  by  all  who  desire  to 
improve  our  public  school  system.  The  real  and  final 
test  of  all  school  reforms  including  school  legislation,  re- 
organization of  courses  of  study,  systems  of  school  super- 
vision, plans  of  promotion,  methods  of  examination,  studies 
of  retardation,  adjustment  of  salaries,  tenure  of  office,  and 
other  agencies  for  the  improvement  of  the  public  schools, 
is  found  in  the  effect  that  such  reforms  have  upon  the 
teachers  who  do  the  daily  work  of  the  schoolroom.  If 
the  effect  is  to  inspire  higher  ideals  of  life  and  living,  to 
develop  a  deeper  devotion  to  duty,  to  arouse  a  larger 
sympathy  for  childhood,  and  to  create  new  incentives  to 
better  work  on  the  part  of  teachers,  then  it  is  certain  that 
such  reforms  are  worthy  of  confidence  and  support.  The 
whole  purpose  of  the  public  school  should  be  to  conserve 
the  best  interests  of  childhood.  The  prime  essential  in 
any  school  which  meets  this  exalted  purpose  is  a  teacher 
dedicated  in  body,  mind,  and  soui  to  the  holy  task  of  teach- 
ing. To  such  teachers,  the  different  agencies  discussed  in 
this  chapter  will  be  welcomed  as  much  needed  and  highly 
appreciated  helps  in  improving  the  schools.  Without  such 
teachers,  improvement  is  impossible. 


THE  SUCCESSFUL  TEACHER 


35 


Ill 

NATURAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

SINCE  an  efficient  teacher  is  the  one  essential  factor 
in  making  an  efficient  school  and  since  schools 
improve  in  direct  ratio  to  the  improvement  of 
teachers,  it  is  highly  important  that  those  who  aspire  to 
teach  should  possess  a  large  measure  of  both  the  natural 
characteristics  and  the  acquired  abilities  necessary  to 
insure  success. 

While  no  individual  is  born  with  a  full  equipment  of 
teaching  power,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  some  individuals 
early  in  life  give  unmistakable  evidence  that  they  possess 
in  an  unusual  degree  the  natural  characteristics  of  success- 
ful teachers.  Others  give  equally  positive  evidence  of  the 
entire  absence  of  any  adaptation  for  the  work  of  teaching. 
Education  and  training  of  the  right  kind  will  greatly 
increase  the  teaching  power  of  the  former.  With  the 
proper  academic  and  professional  preparation,  they  are 
certain  to  become  teachers  whose  presence  in  any  school  will 
insure  success.  No  amount  of  education  or  training  of  any 
kind  can  ever  make  successful  teachers  out  of  the  latter. 
Nature  has  plainly  labeled  them  as  unfit  for  the  schoolroom. 

The  teacher's  attitude  toward  life.  —  To  succeed  in  a 
large  way,  the  teacher  must  have  a  right  attitude  toward 
life.  This  attitude  must  be  one  of  sane  optimism  and 
good  cheer,  founded  upon  a  well-grounded  faith  in  humanity 

37 


38  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

and  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  right  over  wrong.    He  must 
believe  with  Browning  that 

"  God's  in  his  heaven  — 
All's  right  with  the  world!" 

No  taint  of  pessimism  must  be  allowed  to  darken  his 
soul  or  to  blur  his  vision  of  life.  The  pessimist  has  been 
described  as  an  egotist  who  thinks  the  sun  sets  every  time 
he  shuts  his  eyes.  A  little  observation  of  living  specimens 
unfortunately  existing  in  most  localities  will  confirm  the 
truthfulness  of  the  description.  Pessimism  is  always  a 
compound  of  self-conceit  and  selfishness,  both  of  which  are 
foreign  to  the  spirit  of  a  true  teacher. 

The  possession  of  a  sane  optimism  and  a  spirit  of  good 
cheer  does  not  signify  that  teachers  are  ignorant  of  existing 
evils  or  satisfied  with  all  things  as  they  are.  It  does 
signify,  however,  that  they  are  not  ignorant  of  the  fact 
that  the  record  of  crime  and  sin  and  misery  so  prominently 
advertised  in  the  daily  press  is  not  the  rule,  but  the  excep- 
tion, in  human  life ;  that  they  believe  that  the  numerous 
but  unrecorded  deeds  of  kindness  and  the  many  earnest 
efforts  to  remove  the  causes  of  crime  and  sin  and  misery 
should  also  be  taken  into  account  in  forming  an  estimate 
of  moral  conditions.  They  remember  that  whenever 
calamity  or  disaster  of  any  kind  comes  to  individuals  or 
nations  the  latent  goodness  of  the  world  always  manifests 
itself  in  kindly  sympathy  and  generous  aid  to  the  needy 
and  suffering.  This  remembrance  deepens  their  faith  in 
humanity  and  confirms  their  belief  that  the  world  is  growing 
better.  Best  of  all,  because  it  is  the  most  encouraging  of 
all,  there  is  present  in  the  consciousness  of  all  true  teachers 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  39 

the  thought  that,  in  the  proper  training  of  the  boys  and 
girls  intrusted  to  their  care,  there  comes  an  unsurpassed 
opportunity  to  help  in  a  most  definite  way  in  making  a  good 
world  still  better. 

This  spirit  of  optimism,  of  faith  in  humanity,  of  a 
cheerful  willingness  to  help  in  overcoming  evil  with  good, 
and  of  a  definite  determination  to  consecrate  time  and 
talent  to  the  work  of  teaching,  is  a  sure  indication  of  the 
teacher's  right  attitude  toward  life,  and,  therefore,  a 
promise  of  success  to  all  who  possess  it. 

Faith  in  childhood.  —  This  is  another  essential  of  suc- 
cess, which  must  characterize  all  teachers  who  would 
win  their  way  to  the  hearts  of  children.  It  is  remarkable 
how  accurately  boys  and  girls  measure  this  characteristic 
in  a  teacher  and  how  readily  they  respond  to  either  its 
presence  or  its  absence.  Words,  or  acts,  which  speak  much 
louder  than  words,  indicating  a  belief  that  boys  and  girls 
are  all  dishonest,  untruthful,  and  untrustworthy,  will 
produce  an  almost  immediate  determination  on  their  part 
not  to  disappoint  the  teacher,  by  failing  to  measure  up 
promptly  and  fully  to  his  estimate  of  their  characters. 
Many  of  us  can  recall  instances  in  our  own  lives,  as  pupils, 
when  our  conduct  certainly  met  the  highest  expectations 
of  such  a  teacher.  On  the  other  hand  when  pupils  are 
made  to  feel  that  the  teacher  has  faith  in  them  and  that 
misbehavior  on  their  part  is  both  a  surprise  and  a  dis- 
appointment to  him,  the  best  that  is  in  them  responds  to 
the  confidence  thus  shown  and  good  behavior  naturally 
follows.  All  of  us  can  remember  teachers  who  led  us  to 
do  right  by  a  constant  manifestation  of  their  belief  that  we 
would  not  think  of  doing  anything  else. 


40  THE    SUCCESSFUL    TEACHER 

The  oft-repeated  charges  that  children  are  usually  dis- 
honest, and  always  deceitful,  and  that  they  are  common 
liars,  are  gross  libels  upon  the  truth,  and  unwarranted 
insults  to  childhood.  Such  insults  can  emanate  only  from 
confirmed  pessimists  who,  perchance,  judge  all  children  by 
their  own  children  and  in  so  doing  forget  the  influence  of 
heredity,  or  from  self-seeking  sensationalists  who  are 
always  ready  and  willing  to  sacrifice  the  truth  for  tem- 
porary notoriety. 

The  fact  is  that  children  are  usually  too  honest,  too 
frank,  and  too  truthful  to  conform  to  the  conventionalities 
of  society  as  recognized  and  followed  by  their  seniors.  It  is 
well  known,  in  all  homes  where  there  are  children,  that 
special  coaching  is  often  necessary  to  keep  them  from  telling 
the  whole  truth  about  many  things,  at  such  times  and  un- 
der such  circumstances  as  might  render  it  exceedingly 
embarrassing. 

This  faith  in  childhood  does  not  assume  that  boys  and 
girls  are  perfect,  that  they  do  not  always  need  direction  and, 
at  times,  correction.  Neither  does  it  presume  that  they 
should  be  permitted  to  do  as  they  please  or  to  govern 
themselves  absolutely.  The  theory  that  a  well-governed 
school  is  a  wholly  self-governed  school  will  not  always 
stand  the  test  of  experience.  The  claim  of  some  teachers 
that  their  pupils  are  better  behaved  when  they  are  absent 
from  the  room  than  when  they  are  present,  naturally 
arouses  some  doubt  as  to  its  validity,  creates  a  desire  for  a 
full  investigation,  and  prompts  a  question  as  to  how  well 
behaved  the  pupils  may  be  when  the  teachers  are  present. 
Even  with  adults  self-government  presents  many  perplexing 
problems  whose  satisfactory  solution  requires  an  appli- 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  41 

cation  of  all  the  wisdom  of  the  past,  together  with  an 
accurate  knowledge  of  present  conditions  and  needs.  And 
it  is  not  reasonable  to  ask  or  to  expect  children  to  assume 
all  the  responsibilities  which  come  with  self-government 
in  school.  They  need  and  should  have  the  directing 
influence  and  sympathetic  help  of  cool-headed,  warm- 
hearted teachers  who  will  win  their  confidence  by  freely 
giving  them  their  own. 

Such  confidence  in  boys  and  girls  is  a  necessary  foundation 
on  which  to  build  a  wholesome  respect  for  them  and  a  just 
recognition  of  their  rights.  Without  such  respect  and 
recognition,  it  is  impossible  for  any  teacher  to  possess  that 
genuine  love  for  children  which  is  essential  to  real  success 
in  the  schoolroom. 

Loving  the  children.  —  All  true  teaching  touches  the  heart 
and  molds  the  life,  as  well  as  trains  the  intellect.  Every 
true  teacher  must  feel  with  Charles  Dickens : 

"I  love  these  little  people,  and  it  is  not  a  slight  thing  when  they, 
so  fresh  from  God,  love  us." 

Such  love  for  childhood  never  manifests  itself  in  the 
form  of  a  sickly  sentimentality  so  nauseating  to  all  normal 
children.  Frequently  the  kindly  word  of  appreciation 
should  be  spoken.  Perhaps,  even  more  frequently  an 
approving  smile  or  a  little  act  of  courtesy  or  kindness  on 
the  part  of  the  teacher  will  prove  to  the  children  that  they 
are,  indeed,  the  objects  of  loving  consideration.  Occa- 
sionally a  punishment  for  some  wrong  act  may  furnish 
the  most  convincing  evidence  of  a  love  which  is  most 
genuine.  The  one  fact  never  to  be  forgotten  by  teachers 
is  that  in  the  currency  of  love  for  childhood  there  can  be 


42  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

no  counterfeits,  and  that  any  attempt  to  deceive  children 
by  pretending  to  possess  a  love  for  them,  which  does  not 
exist,  is  certain  to  meet  with  immediate  detection. 

No  finer  delineation  of  this  love,  which  should  characterize 
the  spirit  of  the  true  teacher,  has  ever  been  presented  than 
that  found  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  Apostle  Paul's 
First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  The  following  quotation 
from  this  remarkable  chapter  can  well  be  made  a  part  of 
the  creed  of  every  teacher : 

"Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind ;  love  envieth  not ;  love  vaunteth 
not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh 
not  its  own,  is  not  provoked,  taketh  not  account  of  evil;  rejoiceth 
not  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth  with  the  truth ;  beareth  all 
things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things. 
Love  never  faileth." 

Because  of  their  human  limitations  the  best  teachers 
sometimes  fail.  But  the  experience  of  all  teachers  who  are 
really  successful  will  bear  testimony  to  the  fact  that  the  de- 
gree of  success  attained  is  largely  commensurate  with  the 
genuineness  of  their  love  for  the  children  whom  they  teach. 

Love  for  children  founded  upon  faith  in  them,  respect 
for  their  rights,  and  consideration  for  their  feelings  will 
never  permit  teachers  to  grow  into  habitual  scolds.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that,  with  too  many  teachers,  there  is  a 
tendency  to  become  impatient,  sarcastic,  and  peevish. 
Unless  such  tendency  is  carefully  guarded  against,  a  con- 
firmed habit  of  scolding  will  soon  be  formed  and  harmful 
results  will  certainly  follow.  The  tongue  has  been  well 
described  as  the  only  sharp-edged  tool  which  grows  sharper 
with  constant  use,  and  there  are  some  teachers  whose 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  43 

tongues  are  so  constantly  sharpened  with  this  constant  use 
that  they  never  lose  an  opportunity  to  exhibit  their  power 
to  cut  and  wound  the  feelings  of  their  pupils.  Teachers 
who  persist  in  speaking  to  their  pupils  in  language  which 
would  not  be  tolerated  in  polite  society  should  not  be 
permitted  in  the  classroom  of  any  public  school  or  college. 
All  pupils  and  students  have  a  right  to  courteous  treatment, 
and  none  should  be  required  to  associate  with  discourteous 
teachers. 

The  scolding  habit.  —  This  is  as  foolish  as  it  is  harmful. 
Such  a  habit  is  always  the  outgrowth  of  uncontrolled 
temper,  and  an  exhibition  of  uncontrolled  temper  on  the 
part  of  teachers  is  usually  a  source  of  great  amusement 
to  pupils.  Many  times  in  schools  taught  by  such  teachers, 
fun-loving  pupils  will  take  turns  in  making  a  disturbance 
in  order  to  create  a  scene  and  thus  have  an  opportunity  to 
observe  their  teachers  in  action. 

The  most  harmful  way,  however,  in  which  an  ill-natured 
disposition  can  manifest  itself  is  in  the  use  of  sarcasm.  If 
its  use  served  only  "  to  tear  the  flesh  like  dogs,"  as  the 
derivation  of  the  word  indicates,  the  wounds  produced 
thereby  might  in  time  heal,  leaving  little  or  no  mark; 
but  the  hurt  produced  by  sarcasm  goes  much  deeper, 
piercing  the  very  soul  of  the  one  who  is  the  victim  of  its 
bite,  and  should  the  wound  thus  produced  heal  at  all,  a 
permanent  scar  is  certain  to  remain.  Many  super- 
intendents are  painfully  aware  of  the  serious  difficulties 
which  sometimes  arise  in  the  management  of  schools  in 
connection  with  both  children  and  their  parents,  because 
of  the  cutting  remarks  made  by  some  sarcastic  teacher 
whose  tongue  is,  indeed,  "  an  unruly  evil,  full  of  deadly 


44  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

poison."  No  occasion  can  arise  in  any  school  or  classroom 
to  justify  the  use  of  sarcasm,  and  persistence  in  its  use  by 
any  teacher  should  be  sufficient  cause  for  his  dismissal. 

In  Bleak  House,  there  was  one  room  which  was  used  at 
times  by  its  owner  for  a  peculiar  purpose.  Into  this  room 
Mr.  Jarndyce  was  accustomed  to  retire  when  he  was  de- 
ceived, or  disappointed,  or  out  of  humor.  This  room, 
claimed  to  be  the  best-used  room  in  the  house,  was  known 
as  the  "  Growlery."  If  one  so  benevolent  as  Mr.  Jarndyce, 
whose  fits  of  ill  humor  were  more  affected  than  real,  felt 
the  need  of  such  a  refuge  in  which  to  go  to  growl,  when  out 
of  humor,  it  seems  not  inappropriate  to  suggest  that  every 
school  building  should  have  at  least  one  room  of  this  kind, 
into  which  teachers  can  go  when  seized  with  a  fit  of  scolding, 
and  there  remain  until  self-control  returns  and  they  are 
thereby  enabled  once  more  to  assume  control  of  their  pupils. 
Without  such  self-control,  a  high  degree  of  success  is 
impossible.  Its  growth  always  characterizes  the  growing 
teacher.  The  lack  of  it  is  the  cause  of  many  failures. 

Insistence  that  teachers  shall  treat  their  pupils  with 
respect  and  courtesy,  avoid  all  forms  of  abusive  speech, 
and  not  indulge  in  scolding,  does  not  imply  that  they  should 
be  devoid  of  temper,  or  incapable  of  showing  displeasure, 
or  of  feeling  indignation  at  an  intended  affront  or  injury. 
Teachers  need  temper  in  abundant  supply.  But  they  also 
need  to  control  it;  not  to  be  controlled  by  it.  In  the 
presence  of  a  teacher  whose  temper  is  evident  but  whose 
self-control  is  shown  by  calmness  of  mind  and  moderation 
of  speech,  the  most  mischievous  pupils  will  think  carefully 
before  taking  any  steps  to  stir  up  trouble.  Under  such 
conditions,  they  quietly  hoist  the  danger  signal  —  "  Stop, 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  45 

look,  and  listen  "  -  which  will  warn  all  their  associates  to 
move  carefully  as  there  may  be  serious  trouble  ahead. 

Faith  in  self.  —  In  addition  to  faith  in  humanity  and  in 
children,  teachers  must  also  have  faith  in  themselves. 
This  faith  does  not  mean  self-complacency,  self-conceit, 
or  self-satisfaction.  It  does  mean  that  self-reliance  or 
self-confidence  which  is  absolutely  essential  to  the  success 
of  any  one  who  assumes  responsibility  or  improves  oppor- 
tunity. Self-exaltation  and  self-praise  are  foreign  to  true 
greatness.  To  a  teacher  of  genuine  merit,  personal  vanity 
is  unknown.  There  are  two  types  of  egotism  which  sen- 
sible and  honest  people  always  shun.  The  one  type  over- 
estimates personal  worth  and  is  exceedingly  offensive. 
The  other  pretends  to  a  false  humility  and  is,  perhaps,  even 
more  distasteful.  The  first  sings  its  own  praise ;  the  other 
is  constantly  seeking  compliments  from  others. 

Between  the  two  extremes  —  foolish  over-appreciation  of 
self  and  insincere  self-depreciation  —  there  is  the  middle 
ground  of  sensible  self-confidence  on  which  successful 
teachers  must  stand,  with  faith  in  themselves  that  they 
are  able  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  them  in  the 
performance  of  their  duties  in  the  schoolroom.  Such  faith 
and  confidence  will  lead  teachers  to  utilize  all  possible 
means  of  growth  in  self-reliance,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
able  to  help  themselves  in  trying  emergencies. 

In  the  success  which  results  largely  from  personal  effort, 
teachers  in  common  with  humanity  in  general  find  one  of 
their  gravest  dangers  —  the  danger  that  they  may,  in  the 
hour  of  their  success,  so  overestimate  their  abilities  to  help 
themselves  that  they  will  become  boastful  rather  than 
grateful.  Faith  in  themselves  must  not,  therefore,  be 


46  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

permitted  to  exclude  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  limitations 
of  their  personal  efforts  in  any  success  attained,  of  the 
need  some  times  of  help  from  others,  and  of  the  importance 
at  all  times  of  a  feeling  of  genuine  gratitude  for  help  re- 
ceived. Temporary  success  in  teaching,  as  in  all  other 
callings  or  professions,  is  a  much  severer  test  of  character 
than  occasional  failure.  Inability  to  pass  such  a  test 
successfully  is  always  shown  by  the  lack  of  a  spirit  of  genuine 
humility  which  is  always  more  willing  to  give  credit  to 
others  than  to  claim  it  for  self. 

Faith  in  self  of  the  right  type,  is  well  described  by 
General  Horace  Porter  in  his  characterization  of  the  suc- 
cessful commander  of  the  Union  forces  in  the  Civil  War : 

"General  Grant  never  underestimated  himself  in  battle.  He 
never  overestimated  himself  in  victory." 

General  Grant.  —  A  brief  review  of  the  career  of  General 
Grant  will  furnish  abundant  evidence  of  the  truthfulness 
of  this  characterization.  It  will  be  recalled  that  he  was 
trained  for  the  life  of  a  soldier  at  West  Point  and  that  he 
served  with  distinction  in  the  Mexican  War,  taking  part 
in  all  its  battles  save  one,  and  being  repeatedly  brevetted 
for  gallantry.  Notwithstanding  this  training  and  expe- 
rience, so  modest  and  retiring  was  his  disposition,  that  he 
resigned  his  commission  of  captain  in  1854  and  engaged  in 
farming  near  St.  Louis.  Later  on  he  became  associated 
with  his  father  in  the  leather  business  at  Galena.  When 
the  Civil  War  broke  out,  he  promptly  tendered  his  services 
to  the  government  which  had  educated  him,  but  received 
no  reply  to  his  letter  addressed  to  the  Adjutant  General 
of  the  Army.  His  appointment,  however,  as  colonel  of  an 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  47 

Illinois  regiment,  by  Governor  Yates,  furnished  him  the 
opportunity  for  service  which  he  craved  and  his  promotions, 
which  rapidly  followed,  are  well  known.  From  September 
6,  1 86 1,  when  he  seized  Paducah,  to  the  close  of  the  war, 
April  9,  1865,  every  act  of  General  Grant  plainly  showed 
that  the  first  part  of  General  Porter's  characterization  is 
correct.  Two  historic  instances  will  serve  to  illustrate 
this  side  of  his  character. 

When  General  Buckner,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
Confederate  forces  at  Fort  Donelson,  proposed  an  armistice 
and  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  agree  upon  terms 
of  capitulation  of  the  forces  and  fort  under  his  command, 
General  Grant  immediately  replied  in  language  which  left 
no  doubt  as  to  his  absolute  confidence  in  his  ability  to  en- 
force the  terms  of  his  proposal  —  "  No  terms  except  an 
unconditional  and  immediate  surrender  can  be  accepted.  I 
propose  to  move  immediately  upon  your  works."  These 
are  not  the  boastful  words  of  an  egotist,  unduly  impressed 
with  an  overestimation  of  his  own  self-importance.  They 
are  the  calm  expression  of  sublime  self-confidence  on  the 
part  of  an  extremely  modest  man  who  did  not  underestimate 
himself  in  battle. 

Again,  in  May,  1864,  when  thousands  of  brave  men  were 
sacrificed  in  terrible  warfare,  and,  as  a  consequence,  General 
Grant  was  subjected  to  the  most  severe  denunciation  and 
abuse  by  those  whose  ignorance  of  conditions  and  needs 
made  them  ever  ready  to  criticize  his  movements,  there 
came  from  this  man  of  few  words  but  mighty  deeds,  the 
laconic  expression  of  his  determined  purpose  to  "  fight  it 
out  on  this  line,  if  it  takes  all  summer  "  —  another  proof 
of  his  faith  in  himself  to  lead  his  armies  to  final  victory. 


48  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

That  General  Grant  did  not  overestimate  himself  in 
victory  is  evidenced  in  many  instances.  One  of  the  most 
impressive  of  these  is  found  in  the  surrender  at  Appomattox, 
one  of  the  greatest  events  in  human  history. 

A  man  of  less  self-control  and  generosity  than  General 
Grant  might  have  found  in  the  victory  which  came  with 
this  surrender,  some  excuse  for  personal  glorification,  as 
well  as  an  opportunity  to  humiliate  a  great  adversary. 
But  no  such  thought  seems  to  have  entered  the  mind  of 
General  Grant.  His  generous  soul  and  modest  spirit 
prompted  him  to  avoid  all  appearance  of  ostentation  and  to 
show  every  possible  courtesy  to  General  Lee  and  his  de- 
feated troops.  He  tells  us  in  his  Personal  Memoirs  that, 
while  his  feelings  were  quite  jubilant  on  the  receipt  of 
General  Lee's  letter  relating  to  the  surrender,  when  the 
surrender  itself  came,  he  felt  no  inclination  to  rejoice  at 
the  downfall  of  a  foe  who  had  fought  so  long  and  valiantly 
and  had  suffered  so  much.  In  kindness  of  heart,  modesty 
of  manner,  and  simplicity  of  speech,  General  Grant  stated 
the  terms  of  surrender,  which  were  most  liberal  and 
generous.  In  every  possible  way,  he  manifested  the  most 
kindly  consideration  for  his  great  opponent  and  his  generous 
sympathy  for  the  defeated  army,  even  to  the  extent  of 
stopping  his  own  victorious  soldiers  from  firing  a  salute  of 
one  hundred  guns  in  honor  of  their  victory,  because  he 
did  not  want  to  exult  over  the  downfall  of  the  Confederates 
who  were  then  their  prisoners. 

In  these  hours  of  triumphant  success,  General  Grant 
did  not  overestimate  himself.  With  humility,  as  marked 
in  victory  as  his  self-confidence  had  been  in  battle,  he  began 
at  once  to  exert  his  whole  influence  for  peace.  The  four 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  49 

short  words  contained  in  one  of  the  shortest  sentences  of 
his  brief  letter  of  acceptance  of  his  nomination  for  the  presi- 
dency —  "  Let  us  have  peace  "  -  fell  like  a  benediction 
upon  all  sections  of  the  Nation  which  he  loved,  did  much  to 
help  to  heal  that  Nation's  wounds,  and  to  prepare  the  way 
for  the  national  peace  which  all  hope  and  believe  is  to  be 
permanent. 

Teachers  in  common  with  all  persons  who  are  engaged 
in  work  of  far-reaching  importance  have,  at  times,  serious 
difficulties  to  meet.  To  be  able  to  face  such  difficulties 
in  that  brave  spirit  which  does  not  underestimate  itself 
is  a  large  factor  in  insuring  success.  To  be  able  to  succeed 
and  at  the  same  time  to  retain  that  spirit  of  genuine  humility 
which  never  overestimates  itself  in  victory  is  the  best 
evidence  that  success  has  been  worthily  won  and  the  surest 
promise  that  it  will  continue. 

A  young  teacher's  experience.  —  A  brief  account  of  the 
experience  of  a  young  teacher  will  illustrate  the  feeling  of 
pupils  relative  to  the  necessity  of  self-confidence  as  a  factor 
in  success,  and  may  serve  as  a  warning  to  teachers  whose 
actions  constantly  indicate  their  lack  of  faith  in  their 
ability  to  succeed.  This  experience  came  one  morning  at 
the  close  of  the  devotional  exercises  with  which  the  work  of 
the  school  day  began.  A  boy  of  nine  or  ten  was  called  to 
the  teacher's  desk  to  receive  a  reprimand  for  some  miscon- 
duct, and  was  publicly  accused  of  being  the  worst  boy  in  the 
school.  Such  an  accusation  was,  in  itself,  a  serious  blunder, 
as  the  boy  naturally  felt  that  he  must  show  that  he  was  not 
entirely  undeserving  of  such  a  charge.  This  was  followed 
by  a  more  costly  blunder  by  the  teacher  in  the  statement 
that  he  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  the  boy  —  an 

OUR  PUB.    S. 4 


50  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

admission  which  gave  to  the  boy  a  keen  realization  of  his 
own  ability  to  make  trouble  and  of  the  teacher's  lack  of 
confidence  in  his  ability  to  meet  it.  Then  followed  a  pro- 
posal by  the  teacher  that  the  boy  and  he  change  places,  in 
which  case  the  boy  was  asked,  what  he,  as  a  teacher,  would 
do  with  the  teacher,  as  a  pupil.  This  general  question 
brought  no  reply  from  the  boy  whose  caution  might  well 
be  imitated  by  all  teachers  who  habitually  speak  without 
thinking.  The  teacher  then  inquired,  "  Would  you  keep 
me  in  at  recess  ?  "  to  which  the  boy  replied  with  an  emphatic 
"  No."  "  Would  you  stand  me  on  the  floor?  "  asked  the 
teacher,  and  again  the  prompt  reply  was  "  No."  Sending 
home,  whipping,  and  the  other  common  methods  of  punish- 
ment were  proposed,  and  each  one  met  with  the  same  reply. 
The  teacher  concluded  his  questions  by  asking,  "  What, 
then,  would  you  do  with  me?  "  to  which  the  boy  calmly  re- 
plied, "  It  seems  to  me  if  I  was  you  and  couldn't  teach  this 
school,  I'd  go  and  get  one  I  could  teach." 

While  few  teachers  may  receive  such  a  frank  answer 
as  the  one  quoted  from  this  boy,  all  teachers  will  do  well  to 
consider  that  his  answer  truthfully  expresses  what  all 
pupils  think  of  teachers  who  doubt  their  ability  to  control 
their  schools. 

Faith  in  God.  —  As  the  one  sure  foundation  for  this  faith 
in  humanity,  in  childhood,  and  in  self,  there  should  be  in 
every  teacher's  soul  a  firm  faith  in  God.  Such  faith  has 
been  in  the  past,  and  is  to-day,  the  mightiest  force  for  good 
in  all  the  world.  Profane  as  well  as  sacred  literature  bears 
testimony  to  its  power  in  the  lives  of  men  and  women.  All 
human  experience  proves  the  truthfulness  of  the  sentiment 
expressed  by  Bulwer-Lytton : 


NATURAL    CHARACTERISTICS  51 

"Strike  from  mankind  the  principle  of  faith,  and  man  would  have 
no  more  history  than  a  flock  of  sheep/' 

Down  deep  in  our  souls  there  is  a  feeling  which  is  in 
accord  with  the  sublime  sentiments  recorded  in  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews,  and  with  its  author,  we 
are  led  to  say: 

"But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him;  for  he  that 
cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of 
them  that  diligently  seek  him." 

There  is  nothing  sectarian  in  such  faith  —  nothing  in 
it  which  does  not  appeal  to  both  the  judgment  and  the 
conscience  of  an  overwhelming  majority  of  men  and 
women  of  all  times  and  conditions.  It  is  this  faith  that 
life  is  of  divine  origin  and  that  the  human  soul  is  immortal, 
which  gives  to  education  its  loftiest  conception  and  to  the 
teachers  of  boys  and  girls  their  highest  incentive  to  faith- 
ful service. 

"Talk  faith.    The  world  is  better  off  without 
Your  uttered  ignorance  and  morbid  doubt. 
If  you  have  faith  in  God,  or  man,  or  self, 
Say  so ;  if  not,  push  back  upon  the  shelf 
Of  silence,  all  your  thoughts  till  faith  shall  come. 
No  one  will  grieve  because  your  lips  are  dumb." 


IV 
ACQUIRED   ABILITIES 

THE  emphasis  placed,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  upon 
the  natural  characteristics  of  teachers,  as  essential 
factors  in  their  success,  does  not  signify  a  belief 
that  teachers  are  born  with  a  full  and  complete  equipment 
of  teaching  power.  To  assume  that  teachers  are  so  born 
is  as  unreasonable  as  to  claim  that  training  alone  will  make 
successful  teachers  of  all  who  are  the  recipients  of  it.  The 
purpose  of  this  chapter  is  to  emphasize  the  equal  importance 
of  those  acquired  abilities  which  all  successful  teachers 
must  possess  and  which  result  from  education,  training, 
and  experience. 

Power  of  concentration.  —  One  of  the  most  important 
of  these  acquired  abilities  is  the  power  to  concentrate 
attention  upon  the  subject  at  hand  and  to  think  logically  to 
a  definite  and  correct  conclusion.  The  exercise  of  such 
power  produces  a  type  of  knowledge  which  possesses  certain 
marked  characteristics.  It  is  always  clear,  distinct,  and 
positive.  It  always  creates  an  insatiable  desire  for  more 
knowledge.  A  power  in  itself,  such  knowledge  always 
reacts  upon  the  thinking,  of  which  it  is  largely  the  product, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  clarify  and  strengthen  it.  Useful 
knowledge  and  conscious  thinking  are  intimately  related. 

"  You  may  know  the  fellow  who  thinks  he  thinks, 

Or  the  fellow  who  thinks  he  knows ; 
But  find  the  fellow  who  knows  he  thinks 
And  you  know  the  fellow  who  knows." 
52 


ACQUIRED    ABILITIES  53 

"He  who  knows  not,  and  knows  not  that  he  knows  not ;  he  is  a  fool, 

shun  him. 
He  who  knows  not,  and  knows  that  he  knows  not ;  he  is  simple, 

teach  him. 
He  who  knows,  and  knows  not  that  he  knows ;   he  is  asleep,  wake 

him. 
He  who  knows,  and  knows  that  he  knows ;  he  is  wise,  follow  him." 

A  thorough  study  of  the  subjects  to  be  taught  is  a 
fundamental  necessity  in  the  education  of  all  teachers. 
The  purpose  of  such  study  should  be  to  develop  teachers 
who  are  strong  minded  because  they  know  that  they  think 
and  who  are  wise  leaders  because  they  know  that  they  know. 

Power  of  expression.  —  Equal  in  importance  with  the 
ability  to  think  accurately  and  to  know  positively  is  the 
ability  to  express  what  is  thus  thought  and  known  in  simple 
and  direct  language.  Growth  in  teaching  power  depends 
in  no  small  degree  upon  growth  in  language  power,  and  the 
cultivation  of  such  power  should  claim  the  serious  attention 
of  all  who  aspire  to  teach. 

All  teachers  of  all  subjects  should  have  such  a  love  for 
the  English  language  as  will  lead  them  to  a  keen  appre- 
ciation of  its  importance  as  a  medium  for  the  expression  of 
thought  and  also  cause  them  to  put  forth  every  possible 
effort  to  increase  their  teaching  power  by  constantly 
increasing  their  ability  to  use  such  language  as  will  most 
clearly  express  the  ideas  which  they  desire  to  convey. 

The  English  language.  —  Tributes  of  appreciation  have 
been  paid  to  the  beauty  and  forcefulness  of  the  English 
language  by  many  of  the  great  scholars  of  the  world,  and 
ready  assent  will  be  given  to  the  truthfulness  of  the  fol- 
lowing sentiment : 


54  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

"The  Greek's  a  harp  we  love  to  hear; 
The  Latin  is  a  trumpet  clear ; 
Spanish  like  an  organ  swells ; 
Italian  rings  its  silver  bells ; 
France,  with  many  a  frolic  mien, 
Tunes  her  sprightly  violin ; 
Loud  the  German  rolls  his  drum, 
When  Russia's  clashing  cymbals  come ; 
But  Britain's  sons  may  well  rejoice, 
For  English  is  the  human  voice." 

All  who  love  the  English  language  and  appreciate  its 
beauty  and  power  should  help  in  every  way  to  preserve 
its  purity.  To  teachers,  especially,  is  intrusted  this 
exceedingly  important  work.  It  is,  therefore,  imperative 
that  teachers  of  all  classes  realize  their  responsibility  in 
the  use  of  English  and  the  opportunity  which  comes  with 
such  responsibility.  It  should  never  be  forgotten  that 
accurate  expression  of  thought  always  reacts  to  produce 
accurate  thinking  which  in  turn  results  in  a  product  worthy 
of  expression.  It  is  fortunately  true  that  in  language 
training,  as  in  moral  training,  example  is  more  forceful 
than  precept.  Because  of  this  fact,  the  teacher's  language 
should,  in  so  far  as  possible,  always  furnish  an  example 
worthy  of  imitation. 

A  common  tendency  of  all  times,  and  with  all  classes, 
especially  with  boys  and  girls  in  the  public  schools  and 
students  in  college,  is  indicated  by  the  use  of  extravagant 
language  in  the  expression  of  ideas  concerning  the  most 
commonplace  things.  How  often  we  hear  objects  of  small 
significance  and  events  of  little  importance  described  in  an 
exaggerated  manner  by  the  use  of  superlative  terms.  Many 
adjectives,  which  should  be  held  in  reserve,  to  be  used  only 


ACQUIRED    ABILITIES  55 

in  an  emergency,  are  so  overworked  on  ordinary  occasions 
that  when  the  emergency  arises,  they  are  unfitted  for  duty. 
A  language  sanitarium  in  which  overworked  descriptive 
words  and  phrases  could  remain  in  quiet  retirement  until 
a  real  need  for  their  use  presented  itself,  would  serve  a 
useful  purpose  in  connection  with  many  lives. 

The  harmful  results  of  persistent  carelessness  in  the  use 
of  language  which  does  not  accurately  express  thought  are 
not  confined  to  the  language  itself.  Such  use  invariably 
reacts  upon  the  thinking  of  which  the  language  is  the  in- 
accurate expression.  Without  exception,  lack  of  precision 
in  language  is  indicative  of  loose  thinking.  It  is,  therefore, 
highly  important  that  teachers  should  develop  by  education 
and  training  the  ability  to  use  language  with  exactness,  and 
by  constant  practice,  should  acquire  the  habit  of  stating 
precisely  what  they  mean  in  both  speaking  and  writing. 

The  use  of  slang.  —  All  teachers  should  be  constantly 
alert  to  protect  the  language  they  love  against  the  slang 
expressions  which  are  ever  seeking  entrance  to  their  speak- 
ing vocabularies.  They  should  find  themselves  in  hearty 
agreement  with  the  sentiments  of  Doctor  Holmes  as 
expressed  in  the  following  quotation  from  The  Autocrat 
of  the  Breakfast  Table: 

"I  think  there  is  one  habit  worse  than  that  of  punning.  It  is  the 
gradual  substitution  of  cant  or  slang  terms  for  words  which  truly 
characterize  their  ob:ects.  I  have  known  several  very  genteel  idiots 
whose  whole  vocabulary  had  deliquesced  into  some  half  dozen  expres- 
sions. All  things  fell  into  two  categories  — fast  or  slow.  Man's  chief 
end  was  to  be  a  brick.  When  the  great  calamities  of  life  overtook 
their  friends,  these  last  were  spoken  of  as  being  a  good  deal  cut  up. 
Nine  tenths  of  human  existence  were  summed  up  in  the  single  word, 
bore.  These  expressions  come  to  be  the  algebraic  symbols  of  minds 


56  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

which  have  grown  too  weak  or  indolent  to  discriminate.  They  are  the 
blank  checks  of  intellectual  bankruptcy.  —  You  may  fill  them  with 
what  idea  you  like ;  it  makes  no  difference ;  for  there  are  no  funds 
in  the  treasury  upon  which  they  are  drawn.  Colleges  and  good-for- 
nothing  smoking-clubs  are  the  places  where  these  conversational 
fungi  spring  up  most  luxuriantly.  Don't  think  1  undervalue  the 
proper  use  and  application  of  a  cant  word  or  phrase.  It  adds  pi- 
quancy to  conversation  as  a  mushroom  does  to  a  sauce.  But  it  is  no 
better  than  a  toad-stool,  odious  to  the  sense,  and  poisonous  to  the 
intellect,  when  it  spawns  itself  all  over  the  talk  of  men  and  youths 
who  are  capable  of  talking,  as  it  sometimes  does.  As  we  hear  slang 
phraseology,  it  is  commonly  the  dishwater  from  the  washings  of 
English  dandyism,  schoolboy  or  full-grown,  wrung  out  of  a  three- 
volume  novel  which  had  sopped  it  up,  or  decanted  from  the  pictured 
urn  of  Mr.  Verdant  Green,  and  diluted  to  suit  the  provincial  climate." 

In  this  quotation  Doctor  Holmes  truly  characterizes 
slang  and  accurately  estimates  the  effect  of  its  constant 
use  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  are  addicted  to  it. 
"  Genteel  idiots/'  "  minds  grown  too  weak  or  indolent  to 
discriminate/ '  and  "  intellectual  bankruptcy "  are  its 
products.  While  its  occasional  use  is  no  doubt  justifiable 
and  while  teachers  should,  with  Doctor  Holmes,  not  under- 
value such  use,  the  influence  of  their  precept  and  example 
should  always  be  against  such  general  use  of  slang  as  must, 
indeed,  be  "  odious  to  the  sense  and  poisonous  to  the  in- 
tellect "  of  all  persons  of  refinement  and  intelligence. 

The  ability  to  use  simple  language  in  the  expression  of 
clear  thinking  is  a  most  important  factor  in  the  success 
of  all  teachers.  It  is  impossible  to  overestimate  the  value 
of  the  teaching  power  which  depends  upon  the  possession 
of  such  ability.  To  aid  teachers  in  its  acquirement  should 
be  one  of  the  definite  aims  of  all  their  education  and  training, 
and  to  increase  such  ability  should  be  the  constant  pur- 


ACQUIRED    ABILITIES  57 

pose  of  all  who  teach.  All  persons  who  are  unable  to  tell 
what  they  think  or  know  in  simple  language  are  seriously 
handicapped  in  the  work  of  teaching  any  class  of  students 
and  should  be  forever  prohibited  from  teaching  teachers, 
because  of  the  far-reaching  injury  which  may  result  there- 
from. No  doubt  the  enforcement  of  such  a  prohibition 
would  create  a  number  of  vacancies  in  some  normal  schools 
and  teachers'  colleges,  but  since  a  position  occupied  by  a 
teacher  who  cannot  use  language  which  can  be  understood 
by  his  students  is  really  vacant  anyhow,  no  loss  would 
result  from  the  creation  of  such  vacancies. 

Pedaguese.  —  In  a  most  delightful  little  volume  entitled 
A  Joysome  History  of  Education  is  found  the  word,  "  peda- 
guese," coined  by  the  author  of  the  history  to  characterize 
the  language  used  by  entirely  too  many  who  attempt  to 
write  or  speak  on  educational  subjects,  and  who,  to  quote  the 
words  of  the  author,  "  have  given  their  own  mysterious 
meanings  to  so  many  common  expressions,  that  it  is  now 
absolutely  necessary  to  have  a  word  which  shall  name  this 
new  language  "  -  a  language  which  "  isn't  English ;  and 
to  consider  it  such  would  be  to  convict  the  writer  of  drivel- 
ing idiocy." 

To  serve  as  a  warning  of  what  may  come  to  a  teacher, 
writer,  or  speaker  who  persists  in  giving  "  mysterious 
meanings  "  to  commonplace  things  or  who  attempts  to 
conceal  entire  absence  of  thought  by  the  use  of  ponderous 
words,  the  examples  of  "  pedaguese "  contained  in  A 
Joysome  History  of  Education  are  heartily  commended. 

While  there  is  something  amusing  in  the  use  of  "  peda- 
guese," its  frequent  appearance  in  pedagogical  literature 
has  its  serious  side.  Quite  often  earnest  teachers,  unable 


58  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

to  comprehend  the  meaning  of  such  language,  are  thrown 
into  a  condition  of  complete  discouragement  which  leads 
them  to  doubt  their  ability  to  comprehend.  As  a  result  of 
such  discouragement  and  doubt,  they  quit  reading,  stop 
thinking,  and  cease  growing,  or  else  fall  into  the  habit  of 
using  meaningless  language,  themselves. 

Lincoln  as  a  master  of  language.  —  It  is  pleasing  and 
helpful  to  turn  from  a  consideration  of  such  meaningless 
language,  which  should  be  studiously  avoided,  to  the 
language  of  simplicity  as  used  by  all  really  great  thinkers 
and  effective  writers  and  speakers.  No  better  example 
of  the  use  of  simple  language  to  express  profound  thought 
can  be  found  than  the  example  furnished  by  Lincoln's 
Gettysburg  address: 

"Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought  forth  on  this 
continent,  a  new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty,  and  dedicated  to  the 
proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal. 

"Now  we  are  engaged  in  a  great  civil  war,  testing  whether  that 
nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long  endure. 
We  are  met  on  a  great  battlefield  of  that  war.  We  have  come  to 
dedicate  a  portion  of  that  field,  as  a  final  resting  place  for  those  who 
here  gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  might  live.  It  is  altogether 
fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this. 

"But,  in  a  larger  sense,  we  cannot  dedicate  —  we  cannot  conse- 
crate —  we  cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and 
dead,  who  struggled  here  have  consecrated  it,  far  above  our  poor 
power  to  add  or  detract.  The  world  will  little  note,  nor  long  remember 
what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never  forget  what  they  did  here.  It  is 
for  us  the  living,  rather,  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work 
which  they  who  fought  here  have  thus  far  so  nobly  advanced.  It  is 
rather  for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before 
us  —  that  from  these  honored  dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that 
cause  for  which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion  —  that 


ACQUIRED   ABILITIES  59 

we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  — 
that  this  nation,  under  God,  shall  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom  — 
and  that  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people, 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

An  analysis  of  this  address  to  determine  its  language 
structure  will  be  of  interest  to  all  teachers  who  are  striving 
to  acquire  teaching  power  by  a  mastery  of  English,  as  well 
as  to  all  pupils  who  are  old  enough  to  appreciate  the  meaning 
and  force  of  words  fittingly  used.  Some  of  the  interesting 
facts  revealed  by  such  an  analysis  are : 

Total  number  of  words  used,  including  the  articles  "a"  and 

"the" 268 

Words  of  one  syllable 196 

Words  of  two  syllables 46 

Words  of  three  syllables       18 

Words  of  four  syllables 8 

Or  stated  in  per  cents  to  nearest  integer : 

Words  of  one  syllable 73  per  cent 

Words  of  two  syllables 17       " 

Words  of  three  syllables       7       " 

Words  of  four  syllables 3       " 

Total  number  of  different  words  used 139 

Different  words  of  one  syllable 83 

Different  words  of  two  syllables 36 

Different  words  of  three  syllables 15 

Different  words  of  four  syllables 5 

Or  stated  in  per  cents  to  nearest  integer : 

Different  words  of  one  syllable 60  per  cent 

Different  words  of  two  syllables 26       " 

Different  words  of  three  syllables n        " 

Different  words  of  four  syllables 3       " 


60  THE    SUCCESSFUL    TEACHER 

While  Lincoln  was,  no  doubt,  specially  endowed  with 
great  natural  ability  to  think  clearly  and  logically,  there  is 
also  no  doubt  that  his  exceptional  ability  so  to  think  and  so 
to  express  his  thoughts  in  language  of  such  marvelous  sim- 
plicity was  acquired  by  the  most  persistent  self-schooling 
and  laborious  practice.  The  method  by  which  he  thus 
trained  himself  to  think  and  to  express  thought  is  plainly 
described  in  the  following  summary  of  the  historic  "  inter- 
view "  of  the  Reverend  John  P.  Gulliver  with  Mr.  Lincoln 
the  morning  after  his  speech  at  Norwich,  Connecticut,  a 
few  months  before  his  nomination  for  the  presidency  in 
1860. 

In  the  opening  paragraphs  of  this  "  interview,  "  Mr. 
Gulliver  tells  of  the  impression  made  upon  him  by  Mr. 
Lincoln's  remarkable  address  and  of  his  introduction  to  him 
the  following  morning  at  the  railroad  station  while  waiting 
for  the  train.  After  boarding  the  train  they  entered  into 
a  conversation  about  the  address  in  which  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
asked  to  explain  how  he  gained  his  "  unusual  power  of 
'  putting  things/  "  the  request  being  accompanied  with 
the  observation  that  "  It  must  have  been  a  matter  of 
education,"  and  the  question,  "  What  has  your  education 
been?  "  To  this  request  Mr.  Lincoln  replied : 

"Well,  as  to  education,  the  newspapers  are  correct  —  I  never 
went  to  school  more  than  six  months  in  my  life.  But,  as  you  say, 
this  must  be  a  product  of  culture  in  some  form.  I  have  been  putting 
the  question  you  ask  me,  to  myself,  while  you  have  been  talking. 
I  can  say  this,  that,  among  my  earliest  recollections,  I  remember 
how,  when  a  mere  child,  I  used  to  get  irritated  when  anybody  talked 
to  me  in  a  way  I  could  not  understand.  I  don't  think  I  ever  got 
angry  at  anything  else  in  my  life.  But  that  always  disturbed  my 
temper,  and  has  ever  since.  I  can  remember  going  to  my  little 


ACQUIRED   ABILITIES  6 1 

bedroom,  after  hearing  the  neighbors  talk  of  an  evening  with  my 
father,  and  spending  no  small  part  of  the  night  walking  up  and  down, 
and  trying  to  make  out  what  was  the  exact  meaning  of  some  of  their, 
to  me,  dark  sayings.  I  could  not  sleep,  though  I  often  tried  to,  when  I 
got  on  such  a  hunt  after  an  idea,  until  I  had  caught  it ;  and  when  I 
thought  I  had  got  it,  I  was  not  satisfied  until  I  had  repeated  it  over 
and  over,  until  I  had  put  it  in  language  plain  enough,  as  I  thought, 
for  any  boy  I  knew  to  comprehend.  This  was  a  kind  of  passion  with 
me,  and  it  has  stuck  by  me,  for  I  am  never  easy  now  when  I  am 
handling  a  thought  till  I  have  bounded  it  north  and  bounded  it 
south  and  bounded  it  east  and  bounded  it  west.  Perhaps  that 
accounts  for  the  characteristic  you  observe  in  my  speeches,  though 
I  never  put  the  two  things  together  before." 

One  more  quotation  from  this  "  interview  "  will  serve 
to  show  that  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  later  years,  still  kept  up  the 
self-training  which  made  him  such  a  master  of  reasoning 
and  of  clearness  and  simplicity  of  statement.  In  response 
to  the  questions,  "  Did  you  not  have  a  law  education?  " 
and  "  How  did  you  prepare  for  your  profession?  "  he 
replied : 

"Oh,  yes!  I  'read  law,'  as  the  phrase  is;  that  is  I  became  a 
lawyer's  clerk  in  Springfield,  and  copied  tedious  documents,  and 
picked  up  what  I  could  of  law  in  the  intervals  of  other  work.  But 
your  question  reminds  me  of  a  bit  of  education  I  had,  which  I  am 
bound  in  honesty  to  mention.  In  the  course  of  my  law-reading  I 
constantly  came  upon  the  word  demonstrate.  I  thought,  at  first, 
that  I  understood  its  meaning,  but  soon  became  satisfied  that  I  did 
not.  I  said  to  myself,  'What  do  I  do  when  I  demonstrate  more  than 
when  I  reason  or  prove?  How  does  demonstration  differ  from  any 
other  proof?'  I  consulted  Webster's  Dictionary.  That  told  of 
'certain  proof,'  'Proof  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt;  '  but  I  could 
form  no  idea  what  sort  of  proof  that  was.  I  thought  a  great  many 
things  were  proved  beyond  a  possibility  of  doubt,  without  recourse 
to  any  such  extraordinary  process  of  reasoning  as  I  understood 


62  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

1  demonstration '  to  be.  I  consulted  all  the  dictionaries  and  books  of 
reference  I  could  find,  but  with  no  better  results.  You  might  as  well 
have  defined  blue  to  a  blind  man.  At  last  I  said,  i  Lincoln,  you  can 
never  make  a  lawyer  if  you  do  not  understand  what  demonstrate 
means';  and  I  left  my  situation  in  Springfield,  went  home  to  my 
father's  house  and  stayed  there  till  I  could  give  any  proposition  in  the 
six  books  of  Euclid  at  sight.  I  then  found  out  what  '  demonstrate ' 
means,  and  went  back  to  my  law  studies." 

Here  we  find  the  secrets  of  Lincoln's  ability  to  use  lan- 
guage with  such  simplicity,  clearness,  and  definiteness.  In 
the  first  place  his  desire  to  comprehend  all  that  was  said  in 
his  presence  was  so  intense  that  any  failure  on  his  part  to 
understand  made  him  uncomfortable,  impatient,  and  even 
angry.  The  mental  pictures  presented  by  him  of  his 
boyhood  struggles,  in  his  lonely  room,  when  on  the  hunt  of 
an  idea,  determined  to  think  out  the  hidden  meaning  of 
some  conversation  to  which  he  had  listened,  and  of  his 
determination,  when  a  law  student,  not  to  proceed  further 
with  his  law  reading  until  he  knew  for  himself  what "  demon- 
strate "  meant,  are  most  impressive  and  suggestive.  It 
should  also  be  noted  that  when  he  went  on  the  hunt  of  an 
idea,  he  never  gave  up  the  chase  or  ceased  the  struggle  to 
comprehend,  until  he  "  caught  the  idea."  Failure  "  to 
catch  the  idea  "  or  to  come  even  within  hailing  distance 
of  an  idea  is  the  cause  of  much  of  the  high  sounding  but 
utterly  meaningless  language  used  by  some  writers  and 
speakers  on  educational  subjects. 

The  final  step  in  his  process  of  self-education  and  training 
is  shown  in  the  persistent  drill  to  which  he  subjected  himself, 
by  bounding  the  "  caught  idea  "  north,  south,  east,  and 
west,  and  by  calling  into  use  every  illustration  or  anecdote 
at  his  command,  to  enable  him  to  tell  what  he  had  learned 


ACQUIRED   ABILITIES  63 

to  comprehend  with  so  much  difficulty  to  the  other  boys 
(and  later  on  to  the  people  of  a  nation)  in  such  a  simple 
manner  as  would  make  it  perfectly  plain  to  them. 

By  this  persistent  training,  Lincoln  gained  the  power  of 
"  eloquent  simplicity  "  which  characterized  all  his  utter- 
ances. His  use  of  English  well  illustrates  Emerson's 
statement :  "  Eloquence  is  the  power  to  translate  a  truth 
into  language  perfectly  intelligible  to  the  person  to  whom 
you  speak." 

It  is  only  by  a  similar  process  of  persistent  training  that 
language  power  can  be  attained  to  any  degree  by  a  teacher. 
There  must  be  a  similar  earnest  desire  to  understand  fully 
and  to  comprehend  definitely  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration, a  similar  "  hunt  "  for  ideas  to  express,  and  a 
similar  effort  to  clothe  these  ideas  in  language  so  plain 
and  simple  as  to  make  them  perfectly  intelligible  to  the 
hearer  or  reader. 

A  teacher's  preparation  to  teach.  —  Several  years  ago 
a  young  man  was  teaching  his  first  school  in  a  country 
district.  His  educational  capital  was  small  but  his  desire 
to  add  to  it  was  large.  All  the  lessons  to  be  taught  to  the 
children  were  carefully  prepared  in  advance  and  an  earnest 
effort  was  made  to  master  the  subject  matter  of  each 
lesson  so  that  it  could  be  presented  with  clearness  and 
simplicity.  In  this  work  of  preparation  a  serious  difficulty 
presented  itself  in  a  geography  lesson  relating  to  the  ex- 
planation of  the  change  of  the  seasons.  The  temptation 
was  strong  to  follow  the  line  of  least  resistance,  to  do  the 
easiest  thing,  and  to  teach  the  lesson  to  the  children  as  it 
had  been  taught  to  the  teacher,  by  having  the  explanation 
in  the  book  memorized  and  recited.  In  this  way  time  would 


64  THE    SUCCESSFUL   TEACHER 

be  saved  and  effort  economized.  Should  any  pupil  at 
some  future  time  be  required  to  pass  an  examination  for  a 
teacher's  certificate,  and  should  such  examination  ask  for 
an  explanation  for  the  change  of  seasons,  as  is  usually  the 
case,  the  memorized  definition  would  meet  all  the  require- 
ments, as  it  had  already  done  for  the  teacher  when  he 
secured  his  certificate. 

The  teacher  felt,  however,  that  he  would  like  to  under- 
stand the  reasons  given  in  the  book  for  the  change  of 
seasons,  and  set  about  in  earnest  "  to  hunt  for  the  idea  " 
which  was  fundamental  to  such  understanding.  For- 
tunately no  expensive  apparatus  was  at  hand  and  he  was 
compelled  to  provide  his  own.  This  apparatus  consisted 
of  a  globe-shaped  collar  box  to  represent  the  earth  and  a 
piece  of  candle  to  serve  for  the  sun.  The  closing  of  the 
board  shutters  of  the  schoolhouse  made  the  room  dark 
enough  to  bring  out  the  full  effect  of  the  planetary  move- 
ments about  to  take  place  and  secret  enough  to  insure 
against  undue  publicity  in  the  "  research  "  work  to  be 
carried  on.  The  collar  box  was  provided  with  a  wire  pole 
and  the  miniature  earth  was  then  inclined  the  right  number 
of  degrees  to  the  plane  of  its  orbit.  The  candle  was  lighted 
and  the  "  solar  system"  was  set  in  motion. 

With  persistent  determination,  born  of  an  earnest  desire 
to  understand  the  statements  in  the  textbook,  the  young 
teacher  patiently  sought  to  find  out  for  himself  why  the 
tropics  and  the  polar  circles  are  placed  where  they  are, 
why  the  seasons  change  as  they  do,  why  days  are  long  and 
nights  are  short  in  the  summer  and  nights  are  long  and 
days  are  short  in  the  winter,  and  why  days  and  nights  are 
equal  at  certain  times.  After  repeated  attempts  to  solve 


ACQUIRED    ABILITIES  6$ 

these  mysteries,  he  finally  "  caught  the  idea  "  and  the  real 
joy  which  came  with  the  discovery  can  never  be  forgotten  by 
that  teacher.  The  first  step  had  been  taken  toward  making 
the  idea  plain  to  the  pupils. 

Then  followed  a  careful  consideration  of  the  best  means 
of  presenting  the  lesson  to  the  class  so  that  the  boys  and 
girls  as  well  as  the  teacher  could  understand  it.  It  is 
needless  to  state  that  there  was  an  immediate  revival  of 
interest  in  the  subject  of  geography  in  that  school,  as  there 
will  always  be  a  revival  of  interest  in  any  subject  in  any 
school,  when  the  teacher  has  so  mastered  the  lesson  that  he 
has  ideas  rather  than  mere  words  to  present,  and  can,  as 
the  result  of  such  mastery,  present  his  ideas  to  the  pupils 
with  clearness,  definiteness,  and  simplicity. 

Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  upon  the  necessity 
of  the  use  of  such  language  by  teachers  as  will  be  perfectly 
plain  and  definite  in  its  meaning  to  pupils.  One  word 
not  understood  by  the  pupils  will  often  break  the  thought 
connection  in  a  recitation,  between  the  instructor  and  the 
class,  thereby  making  the  entire  recitation  meaningless 
and,  therefore,  worthless.  If,  perchance,  the  word  not 
understood  is  caught  up  by  the  pupils,  instead  of  the  idea 
it  was  intended  to  express,  the  result  will  be  that  the  state- 
ment thus  misunderstood  is  memorized  with  no  thought  at 
all  as  to  its  meaning;  or  a  wrong  meaning  will  be  given 
to  it  which  leads  to  a  ridiculous  misunderstanding. 

The  study  of  words.  —  Many  of  the  blunders  in  recita- 
tion and  examination  credited  to  the  stupidity  of  pupils 
should  be  charged  to  poor  instruction  by  teachers  whose 
thought  is  not  clear  and  whose  language  is,  therefore,  indef- 
inite and  meaningless.  The  following  incident  will  serve 

OUR   PUB.    S.  —  5 


66  THE    SUCCESSFUL    TEACHER 

to  illustrate  the  importance  of  a  full  and  complete  under- 
standing of  the  meaning  of  words  in  teaching  a  reading 
lesson  to  children.  The  incident  occurred  in  a  teachers7 
institute  in  connection  with  the  presentation,  by  an  in- 
structor in  primary  work,  of  a  lesson  in  the  second  reader, 
to  a  group  of  children,  who  had  been  prevailed  upon  to 
give  a  few  hours  of  their  vacation  time  for  experimental 
purposes. 

With  rare  skill,  this  instructor,  a  woman  of  varied  and 
uniformly  successful  experience,  proceeded  with  the  deli- 
cate and  difficult  task  of  teaching  this  group  of  children  in 
the  presence  of  a  large  audience  of  teachers.  Her  kindly 
tone  of  voice  and  quiet  manner  soon  made  the  children  feel 
at  home.  Apparently  unconscious  of  the  presence  of  hun- 
dreds of  interested  listeners,  the  children  talked  eagerly 
and  naturally  with  their  teacher  about  the  affairs  which 
touched  their  little  lives.  The  reading  lesson  was  then 
taken  up  and  its  subject  matter  talked  over  in  a  familiar 
and  interesting  manner.  The  difficult  words  which  were 
new  to  the  children  were  placed  upon  the  blackboard, 
properly  marked  for  pronunciation,  their  meaning  explained 
in  a  simple,  direct  way,  and  their  proper  use  illustrated 
by  sentences.  The  word  "  present  "  was  prominent  in  the 
lesson.  Its  meaning  was  really  the  key  to  a  correct  under- 
standing of  much  that  the  lesson  contained.  The  children 
had  spelled  it,  pronounced  it,  and  used  it  in  a  number  of 
sentences.  To  some  teachers  in  that  audience  there 
seemed  to  be  a  waste  of  time  in  getting  at  the  meaning  of 
the  word.  Finally  after  all  the  preliminary  drill,  the  teacher 
asked  the  children  to  tell  in  their  own  language  what  they 
thought  a  "  present  "  was.  At  once  there  came  from  a 


ACQUIRED    ABILITIES  67 

volunteer  the  statement,  "  A  present  is  something  you  give 
somebody. "  Then  the  teacher,  whose  skill  and  tact 
prompted  her  to  use  every  means  to  bring  out  the  meaning 
of  words,  picked  up  an  empty  crayon  box  near  by  and, 
holding  it  aloft  before  the  class,  said,  "  Is  this  a  present?  " 
The  children  replied  in  the  negative  with  great  unanimity 
and  emphasis.  Then  said  the  teacher  "  What  shall  I  do 
with  it  to  make  a  present  out  of  it?  "  presuming,  of  course, 
that  some  child  would  give  the  expected  answer,  "  Give 
it  to  some  one  and  it  will  be  a  present."  But  the  un- 
expected, which  can  usually  be  expected  in  school,  occurred. 
A  little  girl  whose  frail  body,  wan  face,  and  general 
appearance  indicated  that  she  came  from  a  home  of  poverty, 
held  up  her  tiny  hand  as  an  indication  that  she  had  an 
answer.  The  teacher  told  the  child  how  glad  she  was  to 
see  her  ready  to  answer,  and  then  asked  her  to  tell  the  class 
and  the  institute  what  should  be  done  with  the  crayon  box 
to  make  a  present  out  of  it.  In  a  timid  manner,  but  with 
a  voice  clear  and  distinct,  the  little  girl  replied  —  'c  Cover 
it  with  plush."  Her  reply  was  a  revelation  to  all  the 
teachers  in  that  institute.  It  was  evident  that  the  meaning 
put  into  the  word,  "  present,"  by  this  child  was  the  natural 
outgrowth  of  experiences  in  the  home  from  which  she  came. 
In  that  home  she  had  undoubtedly  seen  little  gifts  made  by 
her  mother  or  sisters  by  covering  boxes  with  plush,  because 
there  was  no  money  with  which  to  buy  expensive  presents, 
and  to  her  childish  mind,  her  definition  was  ample  to  in- 
clude all  presents.  The  teacher  then  made  plain  the  fuller 
meaning  of  the  word.  Without  such  explanation,  the  child, 
having  read  the  lesson  with  her  own  idea  of  a  present  in 
mind,  would  have  failed  to  grasp  its  larger  significance. 


68  THE    SUCCESSFUL    TEACHER 

While  acquired  abilities  other  than  those  named  in  this 
chapter  will,  no  doubt,  suggest  themselves  to  the  reader, 
the  ability  to  think  clearly  and  the  ability  to  express  the 
results  of  such  thinking  in  simple  direct  language  are  of 
fundamental  importance  in  the  equipment  of  teachers  for 
their  work.  Without  such  equipment  no  person,  whatever 
his  reputation  for  scholarship  may  be,  is  fitted  to  teach. 


THE    TEACHER'S    GROWTH    AND    SURPLUS 


V 
THE   TEACHERS'    READING   CIRCLE 

1  T  F  I  cease  to  become  better,  I  shall  soon  cease  to  be 
good"  is  a  suggestive  sentiment  credited  to  Oliver 
Cromwell.  While  this  sentiment  was  probably  in- 
tended by  its  author  to  apply  to  moral  and  spiritual  life 
and  growth,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  also  applies 
with  equal  truthfulness  and  force  to  the  professional  life 
and  growth  of  teachers.  Important  as  are  their  natural 
characteristics  and  acquired  abilities,  their  professional 
life  and  growth  are  even  more  important.  Essential  as 
are  their  academic  education  and  professional  training,  their 
continued  self-improvement,  after  they  have  been  educated 
and  trained,  is  even  more  essential.  The  opportunities 
for  such  professional  growth  and  self-improvement  are 
abundant.  The  attitude  of  teachers  toward  these  oppor- 
tunities, and  the  use  which  they  make  of  them,  furnish  a 
fair  standard  by  which  to  judge  their  merits. 

Origin  of  Teachers'  Reading  Circles.  —  One  of  the  most 
important  of  these  opportunities  for  professional  growth 
and  self-improvement  is  found  in  the  Teachers'  Reading 
Circle  which  has  an  existence  in  some  form  in  nearly  all 
the  states  of  the  Union.  Since  the  reading  circle  is  now 
so  universally  recognized  as  an  important  factor  in  the 
professional  growth  of  teachers,  it  seems  appropriate,  in 
this  connection,  to  call  attention  to  the  history  of  its 
organization. 

71 


72  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

To  the  late  Mrs.  D.  L.  Williams  of  Delaware,  Ohio,  is 
due  the  honor  of  first  proposing  a  State  Course  of  Reading 
for  Teachers,  in  an  address  delivered  before  the  Ohio 
State  Teachers'  Association,  July  6,  1882.  The  subject 
of  this  unusually  helpful  and  inspiriting  address  was  Young 
Teachers  and  Their  Calling.  So  important  is  this  address 
and  so  applicable  to  present  conditions  that  a  brief  summary 
of  its  contents  is  given. 

It  contained  first,  an  earnest  appeal  to  all  teachers  with 
prospective  teachers  among  their  pupils,  "to  show  them  a 
well-managed  and  well- taught  school, "  which  might  serve 
as  a  model  to  be  imitated,  and  to  make  such  pupils  "  the 
special  objects  of  their  professional  attention."  Examiners 
of  teachers  were  urged  to  protect  "  the  young  teacher  who 
has  made  conscientious  and  laborious  preparation  "  by 
such  treatment  as  will  insure  recognition  of  his  merits,  and 
to  use  "  firmness  in  rejecting  incompetence."  The  ex- 
treme importance  of  showing  practical  appreciation  of  real 
merit  in  young  teachers  by  regular  increase  of  salary  and 
increasing  permanency  of  position  was  impressed  upon 
school  directors  and  superintendents,  and  deserved  em- 
phasis was  placed  upon  the  duty  which  "  the  profession  in 
general  owes  to  the  young  persons  entering  it,  in  the  pro- 
fessional spirit."  The  closing  paragraph  of  this  address 
which  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Ohio  Teachers' 
Reading  Circle,  is  of  such  interest  in  its  relation  to  the 
reading  circle  movement  as  to  warrant  its  republication : 

"My  ' lastly'  I  scarcely  dare  venture  upon  lest  it  be  dismissed 
as  visionary  and  impracticable.  For  many  years  I  have  been  enter- 
taining a  theory  that  a  course  of  reading,  reaching  through  several 
years,  might  be  instituted  under  the  management  of  this  Association, 


THE    TEACHERS     READING    CIRCLE  73 

with  its  annual  examinations  and  reports  at  this  annual  reunion ; 
appropriate  honors  being  conferred  at  its  completion.  If  such  a 
course  of  reading,  partly  professional,  could  be  made  available  for 
young  teachers,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  of  extreme  value.  Since 
the  Chautauqua  Literary  Course  has  been  such  an  eminent  success, 
I  have  more  confidence  than  ever  in  the  feasibility  of  such  a  plan. 
But  it  would  involve  labor,  and  would  require  self-sacrifice,  on  the 
part  of  the  wisest  and  most  capable,  and,  therefore,  the  most  over- 
worked members  of  the  Association,  to  make  it  a  success.  I  doubt, 
however,  whether  any  work  we  can  do  would  pay  a  larger  dividend. 
I  do  not  dare,  in  closing,  Mr.  President,  to  move  for  a  committee 
to  report  upon  this  matter.  I  fear  it  is  too  soon.  But  in  the  dis- 
cussion which  follows  this  paper,  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  the  objections 
which  suggest  themselves  to  the  members  of  the  Association.  Would 
an  '  Ohio  State  Teachers'  Course  of  Reading '  meet  a  need  of  the  young 
teachers  of  the  State,  and  incite  them  to  self-improvement ;  and,  if 
so,  is  such  a  course  of  reading  practicable?" 

The  address  was  discussed  by  a  number  of  the  leading 
teachers  and  superintendents  attending  the  meeting,  nearly 
all  of  whom  heartily  indorsed  the  plan,  proposed  by  Mrs. 
Williams,  of  establishing  a  state  course  of  reading  for 
teachers.  This  discussion  was  followed  by  the  adoption 
of  the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Association  heartily  approves  the  suggestion 
made  at  the  conclusion  of  the  paper  read  by  Mrs.  Williams,  concerning 
a  Course  of  Reading  for  Teachers. 

"That  Mrs.  D.  L.  Williams,  Hon.  J.  J.  Burns,  and  Dr.  John 
Hancock  be  appointed  a  committee  with  full  power  to  mature  a  plan 
and  to  put  it  in  operation ;  and  to  make  a  report  of  the  same  to  this 
Association  at  its  next  Annual  Meeting." 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Ohio  State  Teachers'  Asso- 
ciation, held  July,  1883,  the  committee  submitted  a  report 
which  was  adopted  by  the  Association.  Certain  parts  of 


74  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

this  report,  quoted  in  the  following  paragraphs,  are  full 
of  interest  as  relating  to  the  history  of  the  establishment 
of  the  Reading  Circle  and  as  expressing  in  the  best  possible 
way  the  purpose  and  value  of  systematic  reading  for 
teachers. 

"Your  committee  believes  such  a  course  of  reading  practicable, 
and  that  just  at  this  time,  when  a  membership  in  a  Reading  Club, 
or  a  Literary  Society,  is  almost  essential  to  social  recognition  such 
an  enterprise  may  very  easily  be  inaugurated,  and  successfully  carried 
forward.  *  *  * 

"In  such  organizations  (reading  circles)  the  enthusiasm  and 
culture  of  a  few  leading  minds  quicken  all  that  come  in  contact  with 
them,  and  lift  up  standards  of  excellence  for  all  to  strive  towards. 
As  a  plan  is  adopted  to  which  all  must  conform,  reading  is  methodi- 
cally done,  and  if  such  a  plan  is  followed  for  any  length  of  time  there  is 
at  least  a  possibility  that  a  habit  of  reading  may  be  formed.  The 
reading  is  likely  to  be  done  thoroughly,  because  it  is  done  in  the 
expectation  of  being  questioned  upon  the  matter  read,  and  the  reader 
does  not  wish  to  fail.  It  is  done  con  amore,  because  a  sufficient 
number  are  engaged  in  it  to  give  zest  to  what  otherwise  might  be 
regarded  as,  at  best,  a  laborious  duty.  It  brings  teachers  into  intel- 
lectual companionship  and  sympathy,  and  so  gives  to  each  the  intel- 
lectual support  and  self-respecting  independence  of  all.  The  strong 
are  made  better  and  stronger  by  what  they  impart,  and  the  weak 
are  unconsciously  helped  to  a  higher  plane  of  thinking  and  doing  by 
intellectual  contact  with  those  stronger  than  themselves." 

This  admirable  report  wisely  recommended  that  the 
course  of  reading  be  in  part  professional  and  in  part 
literary ;  that  it  be  four  years  in  length ;  that  it  "  be  under 
the  care  and  direction  of  Ohio  Teachers'  Association  "  ; 
and  "  that  the  Association  proceed  at  once  to  take  the 
necessary  steps  to  inaugurate  an  organization  among  the 


THE    TEACHERS7    READING   CIRCLE  75 

teachers  of  Ohio  for  reading  and  study,  to  be  known  as  the 
'  Ohio  Teachers'  Reading  Circle/  " 

The  recommendations  of  this  report  were  promptly 
indorsed  and  executed,  and  before  the  adjournment  of 
the  Association  a  "  Board  of  Control,"  consisting  of  eight 
members,  was  chosen,  and  the  "  First  Year's  Course  of 
Reading,"  and  in  so  far  as  can  be  determined  from  any 
reliable  record,  the  first  course  of  reading  to  be  adopted  for 
the  teachers  of  a  state,  was  announced  as  follows : 

"  I.  In  Pedagogy,  one  of  the  following :  Hailman's 
History  of  Pedagogy,  Krusi's  Pestalozzi,  Quick's  Educa- 
tional Reformers.  The  committee  also  expect  the  members 
to  read  at  least  one  educational  periodical. 

"  II.     In   Poetry,    Longfellow,    Whittier,    or   Lowell  - 
life  and  poetical  works. 

"  III.  In  American  History,  the  discovery  and  early 
settlement  of  North  America,  to  1776  ;  and  we  recommend 
under  this  head,  Irving's  Columbus,  Parkman's  Histories, 
Bancroft,  and  Higginson." 

Since  this  beginning  over  three  decades  ago,  the  teachers' 
reading  circle  movement  has  grown  until  it  now  includes 
all  sections  of  the  country.  In  many  states,  the  books  are 
carefully  selected  by  a  special  committee  appointed  by  the 
State  Teachers'  Association  or  some  other  properly  con- 
stituted authority,  and  the  course  so  selected  is  uniform 
throughout  the  state.  In  other  states  the  books  to  be  read 
by  the  teachers  of  a  county  are  recommended  or  selected 
either  by  the  county  superintendent  or  by  a  committee 
appointed  by  him  for  that  purpose. 

In  the  absence  of  carefully  kept  records  in  many  states 
and  counties,  it  is  not  possible  to  determine  with  certainty 


76  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

or  even  to  estimate  with  any  degree  of  accuracy  how  many 
teachers  have  availed  themselves  of  the  excellent  oppor- 
tunity furnished  by  these  courses  of  reading  as  an  efficient 
means  of  professional  growth.  There  can  be  no  doubt, 
however,  that  hundreds  of  thousands  of  teachers  have  been 
directly  benefited  in  this  way  and  that  many  additional 
thousands  have,  in  a  smaller  measure,  been  indirectly 
helped.  In  Ohio,  the  "  Mother  State/'  the  average  annual 
enrollment  of  teachers  who  have  read  with  more  or  less 
thoroughness  one  or  more  of  the  courses  adopted,  since 
the  work  was  inaugurated  in  1883,  is  at  least  five  thousand. 
Many  teachers,  principals,  and  superintendents,  now  in 
active  service  in  prominent  positions,  have  carefully  read 
and  studied  all  the  books  adopted,  and  in  their  libraries 
will  be  found  the  "  Reading  Circle  Books  "  which  are 
usually  the  most  prized,  the  best  read,  and  most  completely 
digested  volumes  in  their  possession. 

Although  the  teachers'  reading  circle  was  organized  for 
the  purpose  of  helping  young  and  inexperienced  teachers, 
it  is  quite  evident,  as  indicated  in  the  preceding  paragraph, 
that  its  benefits  have  not  been  confined  to  such  teachers, 
but  have  been  extended  to  teachers  of  all  classes,  who  have 
realized  the  need  of  continuous  growth  and  constant  self- 
improvement.  As  predicted  in  the  report  of  the  committee 
setting  forth  the  promised  benefits  of  the  proposed  organi- 
zation of  a  reading  circle,  the  enthusiasm  and  culture  of  a 
few  leading  minds  have  quickened  all  that  came  in  contact 
with  them  and  these  leading  minds  have,  in  turn,  them- 
selves been  quickened  into  clearer  thinking  and  more  sym- 
pathetic feeling,  as  a  result  of  the  unselfish  service  they  have 
given  to  others.  All  teachers  who  have  availed  themselves 


THE    TEACHERS     READING    CIRCLE  77 

of  the  opportunity  furnished  by  the  reading  circle  to  read 
and  think  together,  have  thereby  been  brought  into  in- 
tellectual sympathy  and  companionship. 

In  view  of  the  professional  growth  and  personal  culture 
which  are  assured  to  all  who  actively  participate  in  reading 
circle  work,  it  is  difficult  to  understand  why  any  teachers 
who  prize  such  growth  and  culture  should  neglect  to  take 
advantage  of  the  opportunities  thus  offered  for  self- 
improvement.  It  is  quite  probable  that  such  neglect  is 
primarily  due  to  a  failure  to  realize  the  need  of  such  self- 
improvement  and  that  the  alleged  reasons  offered  by  some 
teachers  for  not  taking  advantage  of  such  opportunities 
are  really  excuses  born  of  laziness  or  indifference. 

Some  poor  excuses.  —  Occasionally  teachers  will  claim 
that  they  know  their  own  individual  and  professional  needs 
much  better  than  those  needs  can  possibly  be  known  by 
any  reading  circle  board  or  committee  and  that  they, 
therefore,  prefer  to  pursue  courses  of  reading  of  their  own 
selection.  Usually  such  teachers  never  make  such  selec- 
tion and  do  not  read  at  all.  Even  if  they  do  read,  they 
thereby  exhibit  a  type  of  selfishness  which  is  destructive 
to  that  professional  spirit  which  all  true  teachers  are 
anxious  to  encourage  and  to  cultivate. 

There  are  always  some  teachers  who  attempt  to  justify 
their  refusal  to  take  part  in  the  work  of  the  Teachers' 
Reading  Circle  by  the  claim  that  they  are  members  of  a 
Chautauqua  Circle,  or  some  circle  of  a  similar  character, 
and  that  all  their  time  is  occupied  in  reading  the  course 
adopted  by  such  circle.  While  such  membership  and  read- 
ing are  to  be  commended,  no  really  professional  teacher 
will  attempt  to  substitute  them  for  membership  in  a 


78  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

teachers'  reading  circle  and  the  reading  of  the  books 
prescribed  therein.  What  professional  standing  could  a 
lawyer  hope  to  attain  or  maintain,  who  would  ignore  the 
demands  of  his  profession,  pay  no  attention  to  the  latest 
court  reports  and  judicial  decisions,  and  then  attempt  to 
justify  such  action  and  neglect  on  his  part  by  the  interest 
he  might  have  in  a  course  of  reading  of  a  general  literary 
character?  Such  a  lawyer  would  soon  be  without  clients. 
Any  physician  who  would  similarly  ignore  the  demands  of 
his  profession,  and  who  would  cease  to  inform  himself  upon 
the  latest  discoveries  in  medical  science  and  the  prevention 
or  cure  of  diseases,  would  soon  cease  to  practice  medicine 
because  of  a  lack  of  patients.  Unfortunately,  the  teachers 
who  take  no  interest  in  their  professional  growth  and 
improvement  and  who  ignore  such  reading  and  study  as 
are  necessary  to  such  growth  and  improvement,  are  per- 
mitted in  too  many  instances  to  continue  their  practice 
on  the  poor  children  who  are  not  permitted  to  choose  their 
teachers  as  clients  and  patients  are  permitted  to  choose 
their  lawyers  and  physicians.  Many  professional  people, 
including  teachers,  so  economize  their  time  as  to  enable 
them  to  pursue  both  professional  and  general  courses  of 
reading  and  thereby  not  only  insure  their  professional 
growth  and  improvement,  but  also  guard  against  a  type 
of  narrowness  and  bigotry  which  sometimes  characterize 
those  who  never  read  or  think  outside  of  their  special  work. 
Occasionally  teachers  will  plead  financial  inability  to 
purchase  the  required  books  as  an  excuse  for  their  failure 
to  engage  in  the  work  of  the  teachers'  reading  circle. 
In  view  of  the  low  salaries  received  by  most  teachers,  this 
excuse  seems,  at  first  thought,  to  be  worthy  of  some 


THE  TEACHERS'  READING  CIRCLE  79 

consideration.  As  a  rule,  it  is  imperative  that  teachers 
exercise  the  most  rigid  economy  in  all  their  expenses. 
There  are  always  many  things  which  they  would  like  to  do 
and  in  which  they  could  engage  with  both  pleasure  and 
profit,  but  which  are  denied  to  them,  because  of  an  expense 
which  they  cannot  afford.  But  there  are  some  things  which 
no  teacher  who  desires  to  grow  and  to  improve  can  afford 
not  to  do.  Certainly  no  teacher,  unless  under  financial 
stress  due  to  circumstances  beyond  control,  can  afford  not 
to  add  to  his  own  library  each  year  a  few  good  books  to  be 
made  a  part  of  his  life  equipment  by  careful  reading  and 
study. 

The  most  unreasonable  excuse  offered  by  teachers  for 
failure  to  read  systematically  and  persistently  is  lack  of 
time.  It  is  true  that  teachers  are  busy  people,  that  they 
often  have  unusual  demands  made  upon  their  time  and 
strength,  and  that  they  have  numerous  and  varied  duties 
to  perform.  It  is  also  true  that,  with  proper  organization 
and  system  in  connection  with  their  work,  under  normal 
conditions  all  reasonable  demands  can  be  promptly  met 
and  all  necessary  duties  satisfactorily  performed,  and  some 
time  be  saved  each  day  to  be  used  in  reading  and  study 
for  self-improvement.  It  is  the  privilege  and  duty  of  all 
teachers  so  to  plan  their  work  in  the  school  and  for  the 
school  as  to  insure  at  least  an  hour  or  two  each  day  for  such 
reading  and  study.  If  the  determination  so  to  plan  is 
sufficiently  strong  and  persistent,  satisfactory  results  will 
invariably  follow.  In  the  following  allotment  of  time, 
each  need  of  the  day  is  liberally  provided  for. 

A  good  daily  program.  —  For  teaching,  six  hours ;  plan- 
ning and  preparing  the  lessons  to  be  taught,  three  hours ; 


8o  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

meals,  eating  and  healthful  relaxation  following,  three 
hours ;  sleep,  eight  hours ;  resting,  recreation,  and  exercise, 
two  hours ;  —  in  all  twenty-two  hours. 

This  leaves  two  hours  each  day  which  can  be  and  should 
be  used  by  the  teacher  for  self-improvement.  The  teacher's 
program  should  devote  these  hours  to  reading  and  study 
with  the  same  regularity  and  persistence  as  other  hours  are 
devoted  to  teaching,  planning  and  preparing  lessons,  eating, 
sleeping,  resting,  and  exercise,  and  nothing  but  dire  neces- 
sity should  be  permitted  to  interfere  with  this  program. 
Teachers,  like  all  other  individuals  who  desire  to  grow, 
must  have  a  definite  plan  for  reading  and  study,  and  they 
must  stick  to  it. 

The  truth  is  that  no  profession,  vocation,  or  calling 
furnishes  better  opportunities  for  self-improvement  by 
means  of  reading  and  study  than  the  opportunities  which 
come  to  the  teacher.  In  addition  to  the  time  which  can 
be  saved  and  utilized  for  such  purpose  each  day,  the  weekly 
Saturday  vacation  day  and  the  months  of  at  least  partial 
leisure,  which  come  with  the  summer  vacation,  will  be 
carefully  improved  by  all  teachers  who  are  really  in  earnest 
in  their  efforts  to  become  better  equipped  for  their  work. 
In  the  majority  of  instances,  it  will  be  found  that  all 
teachers  who  have  attained  a  high  degree  of  success  owe 
such  success  in  a  large  measure  to  private  reading  and 
study. 

There  is  always  time.  —  Really  busy  people,  in  any  walk 
of  life,  seldom  excuse  themselves  for  a  failure  to  perform 
duty  by  pleading  a  lack  of  time.  They  are  the  people 
who  usually  can  and  do  find  time  for  the  many  duties 
imposed  upon  them.  They  are  usually  the  first  to  respond 


THE  TEACHERS'  READING  CIRCLE  81 

to  the  demands  of  the  church,  the  community,  and  the 
state.  Men  and  women  who  have  nothing  to  do  are 
usually  so  busy  doing  nothing  that  it  is  useless  to  ask 
them  to  do  anything. 

A  young  colored  student  who  was  about  to  graduate 
from  a  theological  seminary,  in  a  letter  to  the  young  woman 
whom  he  intended  to  marry,  described  himself  as  follows : 

"I  am  a  gentleman  of  leisure,  floating  upon  the  waves  of  cir- 
cumstance. My  life,  like  the  remainder  of  my  race,  is  one  constant, 
monotonous,  multiplicity  of  recapitulated  nothingness." 

Such  persons  are  not  confined  to  the  colored  race.  It  is 
pitifully  true  that  there  are  some  teachers  whose  lives,  in 
so  far  as  any  systematic  attempt  at  growth  or  improvement 
is  concerned,  are  also  "  one  constant,  monotonous,  multi- 
plicity of  recapitulated  nothingness. "  Such  teachers  are 
never  able  to  find  time  to  read  or  to  study. 

Instead  of  offering  excuses  for  failure  to  join  in  the 
work  of  the  teachers'  reading  circle,  all  teachers  who  really 
desire  to  grow  in  knowledge  and  wisdom  quickly  recognize 
the  benefits  which  come  from  reading  carefully  selected 
books,  along  with  other  teachers.  They  keenly  realize 
the  value  of  companionship  in  their  reading  and  thinking 
and  they,  therefore,  eagerly  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity, afforded  by  membership  in  a  good  reading  circle, 
to  talk  over  what  has  been  read  and  to  exchange  ideas 
regarding  the  views  and  sentiments  expressed  by  the  author 
of  the  book  under  consideration. 

How  to  read  a  book  so  as  to  get  from  it  the  largest  amount 
of  useful  information  and  lofty  inspiration  and,  in  the 
getting,  to  develop  right  habits  of  thought  and  study, 

OUR   PUB.    S. 6 


82  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

merits  careful  consideration  by  all  teachers  who  value  the 
privilege  of  reading  for  self-improvement.  Gratitude  for 
the  helpful  suggestions  and  wise  directions  given  by  a 
friend  to  a  young  teacher  of  a  country  school  many  years 
ago,  relative  to  his  reading,  coupled  with  an  earnest 
desire  to  pass  on  these  suggestions  and  directions  to  other 
teachers  and  students,  prompts  the  writing  of  the  following 
paragraphs  which  briefly  summarize  a  valuable  experience 
in  the  life  of  that  teacher. 

This  friend  was  the  late  Honorable  Le  Roy  D.  Brown, 
who  at  one  time  served  as  State  Commissioner  of  Schools 
in  Ohio,  but  who  at  the  time  referred  to  was  superintendent 
of  schools  in  Eaton,  Ohio.  The  young  teacher  was  much 
surprised,  somewhat  pleased,  and  not  a  little  embarrassed 
to  receive  an  invitation  from  the  superintendent  of  the 
county  seat  schools  to  take  dinner  with  him  when  attending 
a  meeting  of  the  county  teachers'  association.  What  was 
served  for  dinner  and  the  method  of  disposing  of  it,  whether 
in  accord  with  the  most  approved  etiquette  of  the  day  or 
not,  has  long  since  passed  out  of  mind,  but  the  "  after 
dinner  "  conversation  which  took  place  in  the  library  will 
never  be  forgotten.  The  young  teacher  still  vividly  recalls 
the  impression  made  upon  him  by  the  large  number  of 
well-selected  books  which  bore  their  own  evidence  of  hav- 
ing been  carefully  read  and  thoughtfully  studied.  This 
evidence  was  seen  in  the  copious  notes  and  comments  neatly 
recorded  on  the  blank  pages  of  the  different  volumes. 

After  a  brief  inspection  of  the  library,  Mr.  Brown,  with  a 
directness  of  purpose  which  characterized  him  in  a  marked 
way,  asked  the  young  teacher  what  he  was  reading.  The 
question  was  as  embarrassing  to  him  then  as  it  would  be 


THE  TEACHERS'  READING  CIRCLE  83 

to  too  many  teachers  to-day  —  not  alone  to  teachers  of  the 
country  schools  but  to  some  teachers  of  the  grades  in  the 
towns  and  cities,  and  to  others  who  like  to  be  called  "  pro- 
fessor "  in  the  high  schools. 

The  embarrassment  was  due  to  the  simple  fact  that 
truthfulness  compelled  the  young  teacher  to  reply  that  he 
was  not  reading  much  of  anything,  upon  which  humiliating 
confession,  Mr.  Brown  proceeded  to  urge  upon  his  youth- 
ful guest  the  absolute  necessity  of  systematic  reading  and 
study  of  some  of  the  best  books  as  an  essential  means  of 
growth  and  development,  and  the  absolute  certainty  of 
intellectual  decay,  if  such  reading  and  study  were  not 
persisted  in.  This  earnest  appeal  to  read  the  best  books 
was  supplemented  by  some  valuable  suggestions  as  to  how 
to  read  them,  which  may  be  briefly  outlined  as  follows : 

1.  Always  read  with  pencil  and  notebook  at  hand. 

2.  Neatly  mark  in  the  book  which  is  being  read,  each  suggestive 
statement  of  fact,  important  reference  or  conclusion,  or  beautiful 
sentiment,  which  specially  arouses  interest,  arrests  thought,  or 
challenges  attention,  with  number  of  page  on  which  each  is 
found,  and  record  in  notebook  by  means  of  some  brief  notation 
which  will  be  intelligible  in  subsequent  reviews  of  the  book. 
Of  course,  this  suggestion  implies  that   the  book  read  has 
something  in  it  worth  marking  and  noting,  and  that  the  reader 
has  a  sufficient  amount  of  intelligence  and  concentration  of 
mind  to  discover  the  things  which  are  worth  while. 

3.  Carefully  review  the  book  thus  read  from  the  markings  and 
notes  made,  and  then  record  in  ink,  on  the  blank  leaves  found 
in  the  volume,  the  revised  notes  resulting  from  such  review. 

Experience  teaches  that  to  carry  out  these  suggestions 
with  any  degree  of  completeness  books  must  be  read  with 
thoughtful  care  and  reasonable  time  be  given  to  the  reading. 


84  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

There  is,  perhaps,  an  occasional  genius  who  can  take  in  a 
page  at  a  glance  and  quickly  assimilate  all  the  mental  food 
which  a  volume  contains.  But  ordinary  folks,  such  as 
most  of  us  are,  need  to  form  the  habit  of  reading  slowly 
and  meditatively  in  order  that  the  mental  digestive 
apparatus  may  properly  "  function."  By  no  means  is 
it  to  be  inferred  that  there  should  be  no  reading  for  mere 
pastime  or  restful  recreation.  All  brain  toilers,  especially 
teachers  whose  work  is  peculiarly  exhausting,  should  some- 
times read  books  which  require  little  thought  but  which  are, 
nevertheless,  uplifting  in  their  moral  tone  and  helpful  in  the 
optimistic  view  of  life  which  they  present.  Fortunately 
such  books  are  to  be  found  and  they  should  have  a  place 
in  every  teacher's  library. 

Book  ownership.  —  To  read  as  suggested  also  necessitates 
that  the  reader  own  the  books  which  he  reads;  for,  of 
course,  no  one  who  really  appreciates  the  courtesy  of  the 
loan  of  a  book  will  either  mark  it  or  keep  it.  While  access 
to  good  public  libraries  should  always  be  taken  advantage 
of  and  should  be  highly  appreciated  by  teachers  who  must 
depend  upon  such  libraries  for  the  use  of  many  books  of 
reference  and  other  volumes  which  they  cannot  afford  to 
purchase  or  may  not  care  to  own,  it  is  doubtful  whether 
any  teacher  will  ever  grow  strong  on  the  reading  of  bor- 
rowed books.  The  teacher  of  real  power  is  never  the  book- 
less teacher. 


VI 

TEACHERS'    INSTITUTES 

THE  teachers'  institute  furnishes  another  valuable 
opportunity  for  the  professional  growth  and  self- 
improvement  of  teachers.  Originally  the  chief 
purpose  of  the  institute  was  to  supplement  the  academic 
training  of  teachers.  In  the  fulfillment  of  this  purpose,  it 
was  really  a  type  of  extension  school  for  the  better  educa- 
tion of  such  teachers  as  had  not  enjoyed  the  advantages 
furnished  by  a  good  school.  Often  this  extension  school 
was  in  session  for  several  weeks  and  the  entire  time  was 
devoted  to  the  preparation  and  recitation  of  regularly  as- 
signed lessons  in  the  branches  required  for  a  common  school 
certificate.  Later  on  the  institute  was  held  for  a  shorter 
period,  and  while  the  subjects  taught  in  the  common  schools 
were  still  given  the  larger  part  of  the  attention  of  instructors, 
a  new  emphasis  was  placed  upon  the  method  of  teaching 
these  subjects  in  the  schools.  To-day  the  institute  is  held 
for  only  a  week,  or,  in  some  states,  for  only  a  day  or  two, 
and  the  purpose  is  no  longer  informational,  either  in  knowl- 
edge or  method,  but  inspirational. 

In  several  states,  attendance  upon  teachers'  institutes 
is  no  longer  optional  with  the  teacher,  but  compulsory.  In 
such  states,  the  teachers  are  paid  from  ten  to  twenty  dollars 
for  the  week's  attendance,  and,  in  at  least  one  state  (Penn- 
sylvania) a  teacher  who  fails  to  attend  and  who  has  no 


86  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

valid  excuse  for  such  failure,  forfeits  not  only  the  payment 
for  the  week's  attendance  but  also  an  additional  equal 
amount  in  deduction  of  salary  for  the  month  succeeding 
the  institute. 

Do  teachers'  institutes  pay  ?  —  It  is  occasionally  asked 
whether  the  teachers'  institute  pays  professionally ;  whether 
the  benefits  received  warrant  the  outlay  made.  No  really 
earnest,  progressive,  professional,  studious,  growing  teacher 
is  in  any  doubt  on  this  point.  To  such  a  teacher  a  good 
institute  is  a  source  of  life  and  inspiration.  It  may  not 
always  be  possible  to  enumerate  in  a  specific  manner  the 
benefits  which  have  been  gained  by  attendance  upon  the 
institute.  But  thousands  of  teachers  of  long  experience 
will  bear  testimony  as  to  the  help  derived  from  such  at- 
tendance ;  to  the  feeling  that  they  cannot  well  go  through  the 
hard  work  of  the  school  year  without  the  inspiration  that 
always  comes,  not  only  from  the  work  of  the  instructors 
and  the  other  exercises  of  the  regular  program,  but  also 
from  the  sympathetic  association  with  other  teachers, 
whose  aims  and  purposes  and  ambitions  and  difficulties 
are  identical  with  their  own. 

The  value  of  teachers'  institutes,  the  type  of  the  men 
and  women  who  should  give  instruction  in  them,  and  the 
benefits  to  teachers  who  attend  them,  as  viewed  by  a  teacher 
of  long  and  successful  experience,  who  is,  therefore,  qualified 
to  speak  with  authority,  are  well  described  in  the  following : 

"I  feel  sure  the  county  institute  furnishes  the  best  means  for 
maintaining  the  esprit  de  corps  of  the  teachers  of  a  county.  The 
summer  school,  valuable  as  it  is,  cannot  do  this. 

"The  instructors  at  institutes  ought  to  be,  and  generally  are,  men 
and  women  of  larger  experience  and  broader  educational  views  than 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES  87 

the  average  teacher.  To  be  in  touch  with  such  instructors  .for  a 
week  or  more  is  an  inspiration  to  study  and  growth  which  result  in 
better  teaching,  and  professional  advancement  logically  follows." 

Who  are  most  benefited  ?  —  To  the  inexperienced  teach- 
ers, the  institute  should  be,  and  when  properly  managed, 
directed,  and  instructed,  always  is  a  positive  help  in  the 
suggestions  which  come  from  the  instructors,  who  should 
always  keep  in  mind  the  needs  of  such  teachers,  and  who 
should  always  be  men  and  women  who  speak  out  of  real 
experience  in  the  actual  work  of  the  schoolroom.  Any 
one  who  has  never  had  such  experience  or  who  has  forgot- 
ten the  difficulties  and  perplexities  which  characterized  the 
first  years  of  his  experience  as  a  teacher,  cannot  hope  to  be 
of  much  service  to  those  who  most  need  help  and  sympathy. 

Inexperienced  teachers  can  also  secure  great  benefit  from 
association  in  the  institute  with  those  who  have  been  over 
the  road,  who  know  all  about  its  rough  places,  and  who  have 
earned  the  right  to  be  called  the  "  leading  teachers  "  of 
their  county.  Such  teachers  should  find  their  greatest  joy 
in  mingling  with  their  younger  associates  in  the  work,  in 
making  them  feel  at  home  in  the  institute,  in  giving  to  them 
freely  the  lessons  which  experience  has  taught,  and  in  help- 
ing them  in  every  way  possible.  To  all  such  teachers  there 
will  come  a  full  realization  of  the  meaning  of  "It  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

The  institute  instructor.  —  To  those  who  instruct  in  the 
teachers'  institute,  there  comes  a  responsibility  which  is 
great  as  well  as  an  opportunity  which  is  unusual.  The 
message  to  be  given  should  be  carefully  thought  out  and 
felt  out.  It  should  come  from  a  head  which  is  clear  in  its 
thinking  and  from  a  heart  which  is  warm  with  a  burning 


88  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

desire  to  be  really  helpful  to  teachers  of  all  classes.  It 
should  never  contain  a  recital  of  visionary  theories  of  edu- 
cation, which  have  resulted  from  a  "  brain  storm  "  on  the 
part  of  some  impractical  "  professor  "  who  could  not  suc- 
cessfully teach  or  superintend  a  real  school  for  a  single  day ; 
or  an  account  of  foolish  experiments  in  some  mysterious 
realm  of  the  psychic  world,  which  have  been  performed  by 
some  one  in  a  "  research  laboratory  " ;  or  an  attempt  to 
make  an  impossible  application  of  some  alleged  peda- 
gogical principle,  which  common  sense  at  once  recog- 
nizes as  being  ridiculous  in  conception  and  impossible  of 
execution.  Destructive  criticism,  which  always  deadens, 
should  find  no  place  in  thought  or  expression.  Courage 
and  hope  should  be  the  keynote  of  the  work  of  the  session. 
What  teachers  need  is  encouragement  in  working  toward 
the  realization  of  high  ideals  which  appeal  to  their  judg- 
ment as  being  possible  of  realization,  and  not  criticism  of 
everything  which  they  have  done  or  hoped  to  do.  They 
need  to  be  inspired  to  nobler  efforts,  not  made  despondent 
by  the  recital  of  pretended  but  absolutely  false  achieve- 
ments. They  need  to  be  encouraged  to  do  their  best,  to 
magnify  the  importance  of  their  own  personalities,  and  to 
work  out  in  so  far  as  possible  their  own  salvation,  by  over- 
coming difficulties  which  are  certain  to  arise.  They  should 
not  be  discouraged  with  the  thought  that  the  admission 
of  difficulty  always  indicates  weakness  and  that,  if  they 
were  only  strong  enough,  there  would  be  no  difficulties  to 
overcome.  They  need  a  joyous  enthusiasm  to  work  with 
and  for  their  pupils ;  not  a  knowledge  of  some  dark  and 
mysterious  philosophy  or  psychology  which  will  lead  them 
to  question  whether  they  are  really  here  on  earth  with  large 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES  89 

responsibilities  which,  at  times,  seem  hard  to  bear,  but  with 
accompanying  opportunities  for  service  which  should  fill 
their  souls  with  gratitude  and  their  lives  with  joy. 

To  bring  to  teachers  some  such  hope,  encouragement, 
enthusiasm,  and  inspiration  should  be  the  purpose  of  every 
teachers'  institute,  and  to  work  for  the  realization  of  this 
purpose,  officers,  teachers,  and  instructors  should  unite  all 
their  energies  and  efforts. 

Abolition  of  the  teachers'  institute.  —  Notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  the  teachers'  institute  has  proved  its  worth 
as  a  means  of  professional  growth  and  inspiration  in  the 
life  of  teachers,  and  that  this  worth  is  fully  recognized  by 
the  best  teachers  in  all  sections  of  the  land,  there  is  an  occa- 
sional attempt  to  abolish  it  entirely  or  to  make  its  contin- 
uance optional  with  the  board  of  education  or  some  other 
school  authority.  The  causes  leading  to  the  final  or  optional 
discontinuance  of  the  teachers'  institute  in  a  very  few  states 
constitute  an  interesting  study  which  cannot,  in  this  con- 
nection, be  entered  into  in  detail.  In  one  instance,  at  least, 
the  teachers'  institute  has  been  abolished  largely  because 
of  the  intense  dissatisfaction  of  the  teachers  with  the  method 
used  in  its  management  by  the  "  state  machine,"  which 
seemed  to  pay  little  or  no  heed  to  the  needs  or  demands  of 
the  teachers  for  whose  benefit  the  institute  should  always 
be  planned  and  carried  on. 

As  a  rule,  however,  the  attempt  to  discontinue  the  teach- 
ers' institute,  either  by  direct  or  indirect  means,  does  not 
originate  with  the  teachers,  but  with  outside  critics  of 
various  types.  These  are  often  characterized  by  little  or 
no  knowledge  of  what  the  real  purpose  of  an  institute  should 
be,  of  what  it  has  accomplished  in  the  past,  or  is  attempting 


go  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

to  do  now,  and  they  are  actuated,  in  too  many  instances, 
by  purely  selfish  motives. 

Objectors  and  critics.  —  Of  course,  there  are  a  few  people 
who  are  opposed  to  teachers7  institutes  because  of  the  cost 
of  their  maintenance  and  especially  on  account  of  the  small 
amount  paid  to  the  teachers  for  attending  them.  Such 
objections  should  be  eliminated  from  the  consideration  of 
the  merits  of  the  institute  precisely  as  similar  objections 
should  always  be  ignored  in  the  consideration  of  any 
measure  for  the  betterment  of  the  teachers  and  the  schools. 
Money  is  the  only  measure  of  value  known  to  some  people. 
To  attempt  to  convince  such  people  that  an  institute  has 
a  value  to  teachers  not  measured  by  the  money  standard 
is  useless. 

The  severest  critics  of  institutes  are  so-called  "  educators  " 
who  are  sometimes  professors  in  colleges  of  education  or 
other  departments  in  universities,  and  who  are  unable, 
because  of  a  lack  of  anything  of  value  to  say,  to  appear  be- 
fore an  audience  of  teachers  and  patrons  of  the  schools  and 
say  anything  which  will  arouse  interest  or  command  atten- 
tion. The  audience  is  always  blamed  for  the  failure,  and 
the  stock  criticism  follows  that  the  audience,  because  of  a 
lack  of  intelligence  to  comprehend  the  wonderful  wisdom 
and  the  learned  discussion  of  the  speaker,  does  not  "  react. " 
It  never  seems  to  occur  to  such  faultfinders  that  there  can 
be  no  reaction  without  action,  and  that  the  two  are  always 
equal. 

These  would-be  institute  instructors,  who  are  without  a 
message,  and  who  try  to  conceal  their  lack  of  anything  to 
say  by  an  attempt  to  say  it  in  "  pedaguese  "  instead  of 
English,  soon  develop  into  the  second  stage  of  complaining. 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES  91 

They  condemn  all  institute  instructors  who  really  command 
a  hearing  because  of  a  real  message,  delivered  in  a  manner 
which  is  effective,  as  mere  "  entertainers  "  whose  "  per- 
formances "  unfit  an  audience  to  listen  to  a  "  logical  dis- 
cussion of  a  serious  question."  Their  final  spasm  of  criti- 
cism comes  when  they  no  longer  receive  any  response  to 
their  persistent  and  urgent  appeals  to  be  permitted  to  lecture 
in  the  institutes,  and  manifests  itself  in  an  outburst  of 
contempt  for  all  that  the  institute  represents  or  does,  and 
by  the  claim  that  they  would  not  lower  their  official  dignity 
nor  risk  their  reputation  for  scholarship  by  descending  to 
the  low  plane  of  talking  to  such  ignorant  and  uncultured 
audiences.  It  is  such  as  they  who  have  pronounced  the 
teachers7  institute  a  failure. 

It  is  gratifying  in  this  connection  to  call  attention  to  the 
many  rare  men  and  women,  connected  with  the  higher 
educational  institutions,  who  are  in  no  way  affected  with 
the  snobbery  which  is  unfortunately  too  common  in  many 
such  institutions.  Their  scholarship  is  both  broad  and 
accurate  and  their  training  both  wide  and  deep.  Their 
heads  are  filled  with  sane  ideas  which  they  can  express  in 
language  understandable  by  the  common  people.  Their 
experience  in  both  school  and  life  is  rich.  Their  hearts  are 
full  of  sympathy.  Such  men  and  women,  instead  of  con- 
demning the  institute  as  a  failure,  consider  it  one  of  the 
greatest  agencies  in  existence  for  the  betterment  of  the 
public  schools  through  the  uplift  which  it  gives  to  both 
the  teachers  and  the  patrons. 

Another  class  of  opponents  of  teachers'  institutes  is  com- 
posed of  persons  who  have  heard  some  of  the  meaningless 
jargon  which  is  sometimes  inflicted  upon  those  in  attend- 


92  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

ance,  and  with  some  degree  of  justice  conclude  that  the 
institute  is  of  no  real  value  and  should,  therefore,  be  dis- 
continued. Their  mistake  is  due  to  the  erroneous  conclu- 
sion that  all  instruction  is  of  the  meaningless  kind  which 
they  have  been  unfortunate  enough  to  hear.  There  would 
be  as  much  reason  in  a  proposal  to  discontinue  all  schools, 
because  there  are  some  poor  teachers,  as  in  a  demand  to  dis- 
continue teachers'  institutes,  because  there  are  some  in- 
efficient instructors. 

The  claim  is  sometimes  made  that  with  the  coming  of 
better  educated  and  better  trained  teachers,  the  value  of 
the  institute  passes,  and  that  it  should,  therefore,  be  dis- 
continued. If  the  education  and  training  which  teachers 
are  now  receiving  produce  a  class  of  teachers  who  think 
that  they  are  finished  products  with  no  need  of  further 
self-improvement  and  professional  growth,  and  who  are 
thoroughly  satisfied  with  themselves  and  their  work,  then 
the  less  we  have  of  such  education  and  training  the  better 
for  the  schools.  Education  and  training  of  the  right  type 
never  produce  such  teachers.  The  better  teachers  are  pre- 
pared for  their  work,  the  more  they  feel  the  need  of  that 
uplifting  and  inspiriting  influence  which  a  well-conducted 
teachers'  institute  supplies.  Just  as  the  best-trained  min- 
isters, lawyers,  and  physicians  are  most  anxious  to  meet  in 
conferences  and  associations  for  the  consideration  of  the 
betterment  of  their  profession  in  order  that  they  may  re- 
ceive the  help  that  comes  from  attendance  upon  such  meet- 
ings, so  the  best-trained  teachers  most  readily  respond  to 
the  call  of  the  teachers'  institute.  Because  of  their  superior 
education  and  training,  such  teachers  are  always  glad  of 
an  opportunity  to  attend  all  such  meetings,  and  those  who 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES  93 

are  not  truly  professional  should  be  compelled  to  attend  or 
to  cease  pretending  to  do  a  work  for  which  no  education  or 
training  can  ever  fit  them. 

The  teachers7  institute,  as  now  conducted  in  some  states 
and  as  it  should  be  conducted  in  all  states,  is  a  most  impor- 
tant factor  not  only  in  providing  a  means  of  professional 
growth  for  teachers  but  also  in  creating  and  maintaining 
an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  public  schools  on  the  part 
of  the  parents.  Through  such  an  institute  a  most  effective 
appeal  can  be  made  for  the  much-desired  cooperation  be- 
tween the  home  and  the  school  and  for  the  development  of 
a  school  sentiment  which  will  sustain  that  "  community 
interest  "  of  which  so  much  is  heard  and  for  which  so  little 
is  really  done.  An  institute  which  thus  touches  the  inter- 
ests and  meets  the  needs  of  both  teachers  and  patrons,  and 
thereby  helps  to  create  and  to  direct  educational  thought 
and  sentiment  is  in  reality  a  most  efficient  means  of  public 
school  extension.  As  such  it  is  certainly  worthy  of  the 
official  recognition  and  financial  support  of  both  state  and 
local  educational  authorities.  Public  school  extension  is 
at  least  equal  in  importance  to  university  extension,  which 
is  now  recognized  as  a  large  factor  in  the  work  of  higher 
education. 

Other  agencies  for  growth.  —  In  addition  to  the  county 
teachers'  institute,  there  are  various  other  important  meet- 
ings of  teachers,  such  as  the  local  institute,  the  county  or 
city  teachers'  association,  district  and  state  and  national 
associations.  Professional  teachers  welcome  all  these 
agencies  for  growth  and  improvement  and  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible give  them  their  cordial  support.  In  the  smaller  meet- 
ings there  is  found  the  opportunity  to  form  an  intimate 


94  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

acquaintance,  each  with  the  work  of  the  other,  which  is 
beneficial  to  all,  while  in  the  larger  meetings,  such  as  district, 
state,  or  national,  there  is  obtained  that  larger  acquaintance 
and  broader  vision  so  necessary  for  growth  and  develop- 
ment. 

In  the  summer  schools,  which  are  so  largely  attended, 
and  which  are  usually  in  charge  of  good  instructors,  teachers 
find  another  excellent  opportunity  for  that  systematic  and 
continuous  study  which  is  a  most  important  factor  in  their 
self-improvement  and  professional  growth.  In  such  schools 
many  teachers  complete  their  college  course  and  thus  fit 
themselves  for  promotion  in  both  position  and  salary. 
The  custom  of  some  boards  of  education  of  placing  a  pre- 
mium upon  attendance  at  summer  schools  by  providing  for 
an  additional  increase  in  salary  for  all  teachers  who  attend, 
is  worthy  of  both  commendation  and  imitation. 

There  are  always  some  teachers,  however,  who  should 
neither  be  required  nor  encouraged  to  attend  summer 
schools.  Their  work  during  the  school  year  shows,  both  by 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  done  and  by  the  results  secured, 
that  they  are  devoted  students  of  the  subjects  taught  and 
of  the  best  methods  of  teaching  them.  To  many  such 
earnest  and  successful  teachers,  attendance  at  a  summer 
school  would  result  in  more  harm  than  good.  During 
their  vacation  they  should  endeavor  to  dismiss  all  thought 
of  school  and  formal  study  from  their  minds  and  should 
spend  the  time  in  rest  and  recreation.  Perhaps,  some  day 
some  one  possessed  with  a  large  supply  of  common  sense 
and  high  ideals  of  justice  will  devise  some  plan  by  means 
of  which  the  much-coveted  "  credits,"  now  obtainable  only 
by  a  formal  study  of  the  theory  of  education  in  a  school  of 


TEACHERS'  INSTITUTES  95 

pedagogy,  may  be  obtained  without  such  formal  study  by 
real  teachers  who  are  intelligently  studying  and  successfully 
solving  the  real  problems  of  the  real  schools  which  they 
daily  teach.  Every  one  who  is  well  informed  as  to  educa- 
tional conditions  knows  that  there  are  many  such  teachers 
in  every  county  of  every  state  in  the  Union.  They  are 
usually  the  source  of  much  of  the  information  upon  which 
reports  of  educational  progress  and  the  discussion  of  methods 
in  education  are  based,  and  are  not  infrequently  better  in- 
formed in  educational  theory  and  more  thoroughly  trained 
in  educational  practice  than  the  teachers  to  whom  they 
would  be  compelled  to  go  to  secure  formal  credits  for  their 
work. 

Travel.  —  Unfortunately,  the  low  salary  paid  to  most 
teachers  in  the  public  schools  prohibits  them  from  taking 
advantage  of  one  of  the  most  effective  means  of  growth 
and  development,  viz.  travel.  Only  those  who  have  seen 
something  of  the  world  in  all  its  vast  and  varied  interests 
can  realize  how  the  horizon  of  the  teacher  enlarges,  his 
vision  expands,  and  his  powers  develop  with  even  an  occa- 
sional opportunity  to  look  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  the 
county  or  state  in  which  he  teaches.  Colleges  and  univer- 
sities recognize  the  value  and  importance  of  this  agency 
in  the  life  and  growth  of  their  teachers  by  instituting  the 
"  sabbatical  year  "  in  which  a  leave  of  absence  is  granted, 
for  the  purpose  of  travel  and  study,  with  sufficient  salary 
to  make  possible  the  acceptance  of  the  courtesy  by  all  to 
whom  it  is  offered. 

Is  it  too  much  to  hope  that  the  future  will  produce  a  new 
type  of  philanthropist  who,  out  of  genuine  gratitude  for 
what  the  public  schools  have  done  for  him,  and  with  a  vision 


96  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

of  what  he  can  do  in  return  for  the  public  schools,  will  show 
his  gratitude  and  make  possible  the  realization  of  his  vision 
by  providing  the  necessary  funds  to  send  worthy  public 
school  teachers  upon  an  occasional  excursion  or  voyage  in 
quest  of  renewed  health,  enlarged  enthusiasm,  and  new 
ideas?  An  occasional  generous  gift  for  this  purpose  has 
already  been  made  and  lends  encouragement  to  the  hope 
that  in  the  near  future  large  donations  for  the  benefit  of 
public  schools  will  be  even  more  common  than  are  similar 
bequests  to  colleges  and  universities  at  the  present  time. 

Is  it  unreasonable  to  expect  that  some  day  wars  will  cease 
because  preparation  for  wholesale  murder  will  have  ceased, 
and  that,  as  a  result,  the  billions  of  money  now  worse  than 
wasted  in  the  barbarities  of  inhuman  and  inexcusable  war- 
fare or  in  preparation  for  a  fanciful  security  against  it,  can 
be  saved  for  public  education,  thereby  making  possible  the 
payment  of  sufficient  salaries  to  enable  the  teachers  in  the 
public  schools  to  secure  such  benefits  of  travel  as  will  en- 
rich their  own  lives  and  the  lives  of  their  pupils  ? 

The  future  safety  of  our  republic  depends  in  no  small 
measure  upon  the  character  of  the  instruction  given  in  its 
public  schools;  the  character  of  this  instruction  depends 
largely  upon  the  character  of  the  teachers,  and  the  charac- 
ter of  the  teachers  depends  in  a  large  measure  upon  their 
growth  in  all  that  makes  for  a  larger  and  better  intellectual 
and  spiritual  life.  To  the  promotion  of  this  growth  every 
teacher's  life  should  be  devoted  and  the  energies  of  all  who 
love  the  public  schools  should  be  directed. 


VII 
PHYSICAL    VITALITY    AND    MENTAL    GROWTH 

AS  a  growing  financial  surplus,  the  result  of  wise  busi- 
ness management,  tends  to  create  and  maintain 
confidence  in  the  stability  of  a  commercial  enter- 
prise on  the  part  of  those  who  have  money  to  invest,  so  an 
increasing  surplus  of  teaching  power,  the  result  of  personal 
growth  and  self-improvement,  tends  to  create  and  main- 
tain confidence  in  the  success  of  teachers  on  the  part  of 
those  who  have  children  to  educate.  It  should,  therefore, 
be  the  constant  aim  and  determined  purpose  of  all  teachers 
to  accumulate  such  a  surplus  as  will  insure  the  confidence 
of  parents  in  the  efficiency  of  the  school  and  the  respect  of 
pupils  for  the  competency  of  the  teacher. 

Physical  vitality.  —  It  is  becoming  more  apparent  each 
year  that  good  health  is  an  important  factor  towards  suc- 
cess in  all  vocations  or  professions.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  in 
the  near  future  the  physical  examinations  which  prospective 
teachers  will  be  required  to  pass  will  be  such  as  to  exclude 
from  the  ranks  all  who  are  not  supplied  with  a  reasonable 
amount  of  physical  vitality.  Such  examinations  will  serve 
two  purposes  —  first,  the  protection  of  the  children  in  the 
schools  against  the  possibility  of  the  contagion  of  ill  health 
and  the  incompetency  and  irritability  so  apt  to  result  from 
the  poor  health  of  teachers ;  and  second,  the  protection 
of  persons  lacking  in  physical  strength  from  a  complete 

OUR  PUB.  s.  —  7  97 


98  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

loss  of  health  so  certain  to  result  from  an  attempt  to  teach 
without  sufficient  vigor  to  endure  the  strain. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  in  all  communities  there 
can  still  be  found  some  people  who  look  upon  teaching  as 
a  sinecure,  an  easy  task  really  without  care,  with  few  hours, 
short  days,  and  long  vacations,  all  who  know  what  teaching 
actually  means  in  preparation  and  what  it  requires  in  both 
physical  and  mental  effort,  recognize  that  in  no  work  of 
any  kind  are  there  greater  difficulties  to  meet  than  in  the 
work  of  teaching ;  in  no  place  are  there  graver  responsi- 
bilities to  assume  than  in  the  schoolroom. 

Live  teaching  is  exhausting  to  nervous  energy  and  is  a 
constant  drain  on  life  itself.  Not  a  few  teachers  who  spent 
their  early  years  on  a  farm,  at  a  time  when  the  working  day 
had  no  limitations  as  to  length  except  dawn  and  dusk,  can 
testify  that  mauling  rails  from  daylight  to  dark  is  not  nearly 
so  tiresome  to  body  or  mind  as  "  splitting  hairs  "  in  the 
schoolroom  for  five  or  six  hours  a  day.  This  is  especially 
true  if  the  "  hair  splitting  "  is  due  to  the  lack  of  apprecia- 
tion or  understanding  of  hypercritical  parents  who  fail  to 
recognize  the  difficulty  of  school  problems  and  their  own 
ignorance  of  how  such  problems  should  be  solved.  It  is, 
therefore,  imperative  that  all  teachers  who  aspire  to  the 
highest  success  should  make  such  success  possible  by  con- 
serving in  every  available  way  their  physical  strength  in 
order  that  they  may  accumulate  a  surplus  of  physical  vital- 
ity with  which  to  meet  the  emergencies  which  are  certain 
to  arise  in  the  work  of  the  school. 

Examination  papers.  —  To  aid  in  the  accumulation  of 
this  surplus,  all  such  drudgery  as  marking  papers  should  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum.  In  some  schools  there  is  a  tend- 


PHYSICAL   VITALITY   AND   MENTAL    GROWTH  99 

ency  to  require  so  much  written  work  that  teachers  are 
compelled  either  to  give  little  attention  to  the  mass  of  writ- 
ten material  handed  in  to  them  by  pupils  or  to  exhaust 
their  physical  and  mental  life  in  the  drudgery  of  examining 
it.  If  critical  attention  is  not  given  by  the  teacher  to  both 
the  form  and  the  content  of  the  written  work  of  the  pupils, 
such  neglect  soon  becomes  known.  Instead  of  the  exact- 
ness which  writing  is  presumed  to  produce,  carelessness  on 
the  part  of  the  pupils,  who  have  discovered  that  much  of 
their  written  work  is  never  even  looked  at,  is  certain  to 
result.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a  large  amount  of  written 
work  is  critically  examined  by  the  teacher,  no  time  is  left 
for  the  rest  and  recreation  so  essential  to  both  physical  and 
mental  life  and  vigor.  As  a  result,  there  is  a  deficiency  in- 
stead of  a  surplus  in  the  teacher's  vitality.  No  teacher  can 
long  devote  many  hours  either  day  or  night  to  such  drudg- 
ery and  do  justice  to  the  important  work  of  the  school. 

When  examinations  or  other  exercises  necessitating  a 
large  amount  of  written  work  are  required,  pupils  should 
remain  in  school  in  the  forenoon  for  only  such  time  as  is 
necessary  to  complete  the  work  assigned,  and  should  then 
be  excused  for  the  remainder  of  the  day.  After  they  have 
been  so  excused,  teachers  can  be  free  to  give  their  undivided 
attention  to  the  task  of  marking  papers  —  an  important 
piece  of  school  work  which  should  be  done  in  the  school- 
room during  school  hours.  Under  no  circumstances  should 
teachers  be  compelled  to  hold  examinations  all  day  and  then 
devote  half  the  night,  or  perhaps  the  vacation  period,  to  the 
work  of  grading  manuscripts,  thereby  unfitting  themselves 
for  the  schoolroom  activities  which  are  to  follow. 

Boards  of  education  and  the  patrons  whom  they  represent 


ioo          THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

will  readily  indorse  and  cordially  support  this  plan  when  its 
purpose  is  explained  to  them ;  and,  since  even  the  lazy  and 
indifferent  are  inclined  to  do  a  little  studying  at  home  in  the 
examination  season,  no  loss  to  pupils  will  result. 

The  importance  of  a  reasonable  amount  of  written  work, 
carefully  done  by  pupils  and  carefully  examined  by  teach- 
ers, is  recognized  by  all.  An  excess  of  such  work,  how- 
ever, will  always  result  in  positive  injury  to  both  pupils  and 
teachers,  not  alone  in  the  evils  already  named,  but  also  in  a 
loss  of  the  positive  benefits  which  result  from  the  oral  recita- 
tion properly  conducted.  The  so-called  written  recitation 
cannot  be  indulged  in  to  any  great  extent  without  neglecting 
the  important  work  of  training  pupils  to  think  on  their  feet 
and  to  express  their  thoughts  orally  with  accuracy  and 
fluency.  Written  questions  prepared  by  the  teacher,  to 
which  answers  are  written  by  the  pupils,  may  guarantee  a 
recitation  hour  of  quiet  and  order,  but  the  quiet  is  sug- 
gestive of  death  and  the  order  calls  to  mind  the  cemetery. 

What  a  recitation  should  be.  —  The  oral  recitation  prop- 
erly directed  by  a  competent  teacher  glows  with  life.  In 
such  a  recitation  interest  is  aroused,  thought  is  provoked, 
the  mind  is  informed,  and  the  power  of  expression  is  de- 
veloped. At  the  close  of  such  a  recitation,  pupils  know 
that  something  of  real  value  has  been  accomplished,  and 
teachers  are  not  burdened  by  the  sight  of  stacks  of  written 
material  to  which  many  tedious  hours  must  be  devoted  to 
determine  what  has  been  done  by  the  pupils  in  the  recita- 
tion hour.  In  many  schools,  the  elimination  of  a  large 
amount  of  the  lifeless  written  work  together  with  the  sub- 
stitution in  its  stead  of  oral  teaching  by  live  teachers  and 
oral  reciting  by  live  pupils,  would  result  in  much  more  sub- 


PHYSICAL    VITALITY    AND    MtiNTAf    GROWTH  L^L 

stantial  progress  by  the  children  and  a  growing  surplus  of 
physical  life  for  the  teachers. 

Habits  to  be  avoided.  —  Not  a  few  teachers  become  ad- 
dicted to  what  may  be  termed  the  keeping-in-at-recess-or- 
after-school  habit  and  thereby  greatly  diminish  their  sur- 
plus of  physical  vitality.  While  there  may  be  an  occa- 
sional need  to  detain  pupils  at  recess  or  after  school  hours 
for  the  purpose  of  study  or  instruction,  usually  the  teachers 
who  depend  upon  such  means  to  secure  the  necessary  prep- 
aration of  lessons  succeed  only  in  gaining  the  enmity  of 
their  pupils  and  in  wearing  themselves  out  in  body,  mind, 
and  spirit.  While  keeping  in  at  recess  or  after  school  may 
occasionally  be  the  natural  punishment  for  some  offense 
committed  by  a  child,  as  a  rule,  teachers  who  resort  to  such 
a  punishment  for  every  little  act  of  misbehavior  will  soon 
find  that  they,  themselves,  suffer  more  than  the  children, 
in  being  deprived  of  the  benefits  of  full  recesses  and  prompt 
dismissals.  In  the  majority  of  instances,  a  large  number 
of  pupils  kept  in  at  recess  and  after  school  indicates  ineffi- 
cient teaching  and  poor  discipline. 

It  is  the  custom  of  some  teachers,  who  are  not  victims  of 
the  habit  of  keeping  the  children  in  after  school  hours,  to 
remain  in  the  schoolroom  after  dismissal  to  prepare  the 
lessons  and  to  arrange  the  work  of  the  next  day  Usually 
the  atmosphere  of  the  schoolroom  and  the  physical  condi- 
tion of  the  teacher,  at  the  close  of  the  day,  are  such  as  to 
make  it  impossible  to  do  work  of  any  kind  in  an  efficient 
manner.  It  would  be  well  for  the  health  of  all  such  teachers 
if  they  were  compelled  to  vacate  their  schoolrooms  when 
the  day's  work  is  completed,  to  take  exercise  in  the  open  air, 
and  thus  to  create  an  appetite  for  the  evening  meal  and 


;O3      TH£  TEACHEP/S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

to  develop  physical  conditions  favorable  to  a  good  night's 
rest,  one  of  the  most  essential  factors  in  maintaining  a  sur- 
plus of  physical  vitality  and  mental  vigor. 

Sleep.  —  "  How  long  should  a  teacher  sleep?  "  was  once 
found  in  the  question  box  of  a  teachers'  institute,  directed 
to  an  instructor  whose  life  had  been  devoted  to  the  work  of 
education  and  whose  long  and  varied  experience  included 
practically  all  phases  of  school  work,  from  teaching  a  coun- 
try school  to  a  professorship  in  a  large  university.  "  Just 
as  long  as  it  tastes  good  "  was  the  immediate  and  smiling 
reply  of  this  instructor,  a  man  of  rare  ability  and  unusually 
successful  experience,  since  then  the  superintendent  of 
schools  of  one  of  the  largest  cities  of  the  United  States,  and 
afterward  the  chief  executive  of  his  native  commonwealth. 

To  sleep  "  just  as  long  as  it  tastes  good  "  is  always  a  safe 
guide  to  follow  and  one  which  can  be  followed  without  diffi- 
culty by  teachers  under  all  ordinary  circumstances  and 
conditions.  Nothing  which  can  be  controlled  should  ever 
be  permitted  to  interfere  with  a  teacher's  sleep,  and  the 
"  meal  of  sleep  "  should  always  begin  early  enough  in  the 
night  to  insure  that  the  "  taste  "  will  be  satisfied  early 
enough  in  the  morning  to  enable  the  teacher  to  get  up  at 
a  reasonable  hour,  to  eat  breakfast  in  a  civilized  manner, 
and  to  get  to  school  not  on  time,  but  always  ahead  of  time. 
The  teachers  who  are  ahead  of  time  at  school  in  the  morn- 
ing usually  keep  ahead  of  the  school  work  throughout  the 
entire  day.  Such  teachers  have  a  great  advantage  over  those 
who  hurry  to  school,  perhaps  arrive  a  few  minutes  late, 
and  never  quite  catch  up  with  the  work  of  the  day.  For 
the  purpose  of  preparation  for  the  work  which  is  to  follow, 
a  half  hour  in  the  morning  before  school  opens,  when  the 


PHYSICAL    VITALITY    AND    MENTAL    GROWTH  103 

atmosphere  of  the  schoolroom  is  pure,  the  teacher's  body 
rested  and  brain  clear,  is  worth  hours  of  time  in  the  evening 
when  the  opposite  conditions  prevail. 

To  leave  the  schoolroom  as  soon  as  possible  after  the 
day's  duties  have  been  performed  and  to  return  to  it  early 
enough  in  the  morning  to  give  ample  time  to  prepare  for 
the  work  of  the  day  is  a  good  rule  for  all  teachers  to  follow 
and  one  which  should  have  very  few  exceptions.  Obedience 
to  this  rule  will  greatly  aid  in  economizing  strength  and 
in  accumulating  a  surplus  of  vitality. 

Borrowing  trouble.  —  In  many  instances,  however,  need- 
less worry  rather  than  necessary  work  constitutes  the  great- 
est drain  upon  the  life  of  the  teacher.  It  is,  therefore,  im- 
perative that  all  causes  of  needless  worry  be  eliminated 
so  far  as  possible  in  order  that  health  be  conserved  and  a 
surplus  of  vitality  be  accumulated.  When  worry  is  due  to 
poor  health,  teachers  owe  it  to  themselves  as  well  as  to  their 
pupils  to  use  every  known  means  to  improve  their  health 
and  thereby  increase  their  efficiency.  If  the  worry  is 
caused  by  a  lack  of  confidence,  which  is  the  result  of  a  lack 
of  preparation  to  teach,  usually  the  surest  and  quickest 
means  of  relief  will  be  found  in  attending  school  until  the 
needed  preparation  is  secured.  If  the  source  of  the  worry  is 
found  in  a  failure  to  interest  the  pupils  in  their  work,  and 
this  failure  is  due  to  an  unwillingness  of  the  teacher  to  pay 
the  price  of  success  in  the  daily  preparation  which  is  neces- 
sary, then  the  only  hope  of  relief  which  can  come  to  such 
a  teacher  is  found  either  in  regeneration  or  resignation. 

There  are,  however,  many  well-prepared,  studious,  grow- 
ing, earnest,  and  progressive  teachers,  who  are  the  victims 
of  worry.  In  the  majority  of  instances  this  worry,  as  it 


104  THE    TEACHER  S    GROWTH    AND    SURPLUS 

applies  to  their  experience,  may  be  defined  as  "  trouble 
which  never  happens,"  but  which  seems  to  be  about  to  hap- 
pen much  of  the  time.  The  futility  of  such  worry  on  the 
part  of  others  is  always  easily  recognized.  But  to  elim- 
inate it  from  one's  own  life  is  not  always  an  easy  task. 
The  absurdity  of  "  borrowing  trouble/ '  on  which  a  high 
rate  of  interest  in  the  form  of  anxiety  and  nervous  strain 
must  always  be  promptly  paid,  is  shown  in  the  following 
good-humored  stanzas  from  the  pen  of  Sam  Walter  Foss, 
whose  sane  philosophy  of  everyday  life  has  helped  all  who 
have  read  his  poems. 

"The  sun's  heat  will  give  out  in  ten  million  years  more, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
It  will  sure  give  out  then,  if  it  doesn't  before, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
It  will  surely  give  out,  so  the  scientists  said 
In  all  the  scientifical  books  he  had  read, 
And  the  whole  boundless  universe  then  will  be  dead, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 

"And  some  day  the  earth  will  fall  into  the  sun, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
Just  as  sure  and  as  straight  as  if  shot  from  a  gun, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
'When  strong  gravitation  unbuckles  her  straps, 
Just  picture,'  he  said,  'what  a  fearful  collapse ! 
It  will  come  in  a  few  million  ages,  perhaps/ 

And  he  worried  about  it. 

"And  the  earth  will  become  much  too  small  for  the  race, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
When  we'll  pay  thirty  dollars  an  inch  for  pure  space, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 

The  earth  will  be  crowded  so  much,  without  doubt, 
There  won't  be  room  for  one's  tongue  to  stick  out, 


PHYSICAL    VITALITY    AND    MENTAL    GROWTH  105 

Nor  room  for  one's  thoughts  to  wander  about, 
And  he  worried  about  it. 

"And  the  Gulf  Stream  will  curve  and  New  England  grow  torrider, 

And  he  worried  about  it, 
Than  was  ever  the  climate  of  southernmost  Florida, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 

Our  ice  crop  will  be  knocked  into  small  smithereens, 
And  crocodiles  block  up  our  mowing  machines, 
And  we'll  lose  our  fine  crop  of  potatoes  and  beans, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 

"And  in  less  than  ten  thousand  years,  there's  no  doubt, 

And  he  worried  about  it, 
Our  supply  of  lumber  and  coal  will  give  out, 

And  he  worried  about  it. 
Just  then  the  ice  age  will  return  cold  and  raw, 
Frozen  men  will  stand  stiff  with  arms  outstretched  in  awe, 
As  if  vainly  beseeching  a  general  thaw, 

And  he  worried  about  it."  1 

In  some  instances  teachers,  in  common  with  other  types 
of  humanity,  permit  themselves  to  dwell  so  constantly 
upon  the  few  unpleasant  experiences  connected  with  their 
daily  work,  that  they  lose  sight  of  the  far  larger  number  of 
pleasant  experiences  which  always  result  from  a  cheerful 
performance  of  regular  duties.  In  brooding  over  their 
troubles  in  the  schoolroom,  they  forget  "  to  count  their 
blessings."  The  annoyance  caused  by  the  misbehavior  of 
one  disobedient  boy  occupies  so  large  a  place  in  their  thought 
that  no  room  is  left  for  the  joy  which  should  result  from  the 
knowledge  that  a  score  of  other  boys  are  always  obedient 
and  well  behaved.  The  failure  of  a  small  minority  to  do 
well  in  their  studies  looms  up  so  large  that  the  success  of 

1  From  "  Whiffs  from  Wild  Meadows/'  Copyright,  1898,  by  Lee  and 
Shepard.  Used  by  permission  of  Lothrop,  Lee  and  Shepard  Company. 


io6          THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

the  majority  is  entirely  forgotten.  Teachers  who  con- 
stantly magnify  their  troubles  and  minimize  their  joys, 
and  who  emphasize  their  hindrances  rather  than  their  helps, 
usually  develop  a  habit  of  worrying,  which  soon  renders 
them  unfit  for  efficient  service.  A  tendency  to  worry  for 
any  reason  should  be  resisted  with  all  the  force  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  teacher.  If  persisted  in,  health  is  certain  to 
be  undermined  and  efficiency  greatly  decreased. 

With  written  work  reduced  to  the  minimum  amount 
really  essential  to  the  needs  of  the  pupils;  with  exami- 
nations and  other  written  exercises  conducted  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  resulting  work  for  the  teacher  can  be  done 
in  school  hours;  with  the  keeping-in-after-school  habit 
abolished  whenever  possible;  with  sufficient  exercise  in 
the  open  air  to  counteract  the  enervating  confinement  of 
the  schoolroom ;  with  sufficient  sleep  to  renew  bodily  and 
mental  vigor ;  and  with  the  cultivation  of  a  spirit  of  cheer- 
fulness, which  will  tend  to  dwell  upon  sources  of  encour- 
agement rather  than  discouragement,  teachers  can  hope 
to  lay  up  such  a  surplus  of  physical  vitality  as  will  enable 
them  to  meet  the  emergencies  which  are  certain  to  arise  in 
their  work. 

Mental  vigor.  —  Teachers  who  make  use  of  the  means  of 
professional  growth  and  self-improvement  will  gradually 
accumulate  a  surplus  of  mental  vigor  which  always  charac- 
terizes the  permanently  successful  teacher.  While  the 
amount  of  capital  invested  in  knowledge  and  training,  with 
which  teachers  begin  their  work,  is  an  important  factor  in 
their  equipment,  it  is  absolutely  essential  to  their  continued 
success  that  this  capital  be  made  effective  by  an  ever  in- 
creasing accumulation  of  knowledge  and  an  ever  enlarging 


PHYSICAL    VITALITY    AND    MENTAL    GROWTH  107 

capacity  to  use  it.  Neither  the  original  capital  nor  the 
growing  surplus  of  the  knowledge  possessed  by  teachers 
should  be  confined  to  the  results  produced  by  the  study  of 
the  subjects  taught  by  them.  In  their  first  years  of  ex- 
perience, it  is  often  necessary  for  teachers  to  devote  much 
of  their  time  and  energy  to  a  mastery  of  the  subject  matter 
contained  in  the  textbooks  used  by  their  pupils  in  the 
preparation  of  their  assigned  lessons.  But  nothing  can 
be  more  destructive  to  the  real  mental  life  and  intellectual 
growth  and  development  of  teachers  than  a  mere  formal 
going  over  and  over,  again  and  again,  of  the  subject  matter 
of  a  textbook  with  which  they  are  perfectly  familiar. 

Teachers  are  frequently  urged  to  make  a  careful  re-study 
of  the  lessons  which  they  have  taught  for  many  years,  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  the  lessons,  in  themselves,  can- 
not possibly  present  anything  new  to  be  learned  or  any- 
thing for  consideration  which  will  necessitate  mental  effort 
or  arouse  new  interest.  Imagine  a  primary  teacher,  who 
has  devoted  several  decades  of  her  life  to  teaching  children 
to  read  and  who  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  best 
methods  of  teaching  the  important  subject  of  reading, 
shortening  her  vacation  in  order  that  she  may  return  to  her 
home  in  good  time  to  make  a  careful  review  of  the  lessons 
contained  in  the  Primer  and  First  Reader  which  she  is  to 
teach,  before  she  attempts  to  present  to  the  children  the 
profound  truths  and  the  stirring  scenes  which  these  text- 
books contain !  What  intellectual  power  and  spiritual  in- 
sight will  come  to  her  as  she  again  reads  the  thrilling  story 
of  "  A  Cat  "  or  even  "  The  Cat !  "  How  she  will  revel  in 
the  new  joy  which  will  come  to  her  soul  as  she  contemplates 
the  possibilities  of  the  different  answers  which  may  be  given 


io8  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

to  such  searching  questions  as  "  Is  this  a  ball?  "  "  Ned, 
can  you  hop?  "  or  "Can  the  bird  sing?  "  Think  of  the 
inspiration  which  must  come  to  the  soul  of  a  teacher,  who 
has  drilled  children  on  the  multiplication  table  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  as  she  reviews  the  tables  of  two  times  one  to 
twelve  times  twelve  in  search  of  new  ideas  to  present  to  her 
class !  How  her  heart  glows  with  a  renewed  zeal  for  her 
work  as  she  prepares  anew  the  lessons  to  be  taught ! 

It  is  not,  however,  the  teachers  of  the  primary  and  ele- 
mentary grades,  alone,  who  are  in  danger  of  intellectual 
decay  and  death  from  such  a  deadening  process  of  repeti- 
tion. Primary  and  elementary  teachers  are  generally  kept 
alive  by  being  in  constant  contact  with  the  vigorous  life  of 
the  children  whom  they  teach,  and  whose  never  ending 
curiosity  to  know  and  whose  bounding  enthusiasm  to  do 
are  a  constant  incentive  to  mental  alertness  on  the  part  of 
the  teacher. 

Increasing  the  surplus.  —  Teachers  of  older  pupils  in 
high  school  and  college,  whose  work  is  highly  specialized, 
are  also  in  constant  danger  of  becoming  dull  and  lifeless  in 
their  oft-repeated  presentation  of  lessons  with  the  subject 
matter  of  which  they  are  perfectly  familiar,  unless  constant 
additions  are  made  to  their  surplus  of  intellectual  vitality 
from  sources  which  are  outside  of  their  specialties  and  from 
which  new  interest,  inspiration,  and  enthusiasm  can  be  drawn. 

A  beggar  who  was  reproved  for  impersonating  on  three 
successive  days,  a  blind  man,  a  deaf  and  dumb  man,  and  a 
paralytic,  when  asked  by  one  of  his  generous  but  indignant 
victims  if  he  did  not  think  it  would  be  better  to  choose  one 
affliction  and  stick  to  it,  replied  : 

"  No,  ma'am.     They's  nothin'  so  fatal  to  the  full  develop- 


PHYSICAL   VITALITY    AND    MENTAL    GROWTH  IOQ 

ment  of  all  one's  natural  powers  as  narrer  specialization." 
This  incident  is  not  without  its  pedagogical  significance 
and  needs  no  comment  or  explanation. 

All  who  are  conversant  with  the  important  incidents  in 
our  Nation's  history  will  readily  recall  the  stirring  scenes 
which  took  place  in  the  United  States  Senate  in  1830  on  the 
occasion  of  the  great  debate  between  Hayne  and  Webster  - 
a  debate  which  is  still  the  subject  of  much  interesting  and 
profitable  study  jn  the  schools. 

In  his  reply  to  Hayne,  the  senator  from  Massachusetts 
showed  a  grasp  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  nationality 
and  a  knowledge  of  history,  which  were  marvelous  in  their 
scope  and  in  their  application  to  the  subject  under  discus- 
sion. When  asked  how  much  time  he  had  given  to  the  prep- 
aration of  his  famous  reply,  Mr.  Webster  answered,  "  Twenty 
years."  A  review  of  his  biography  will  bring  to  mind  con- 
vincing proof  of  the  truthfulness  of  his  answer.  In  all  the 
years  of  these  two  decades,  much  of  his  training,  both  in  the 
theory  of  our  government  as  gained  from  his  study  of  the 
constitution,  and  also  in  his  experience  in  defending  the 
constitutional  rights  of  his  Alma  Mater  and  other  impor- 
tant interests,  led  him  to  interpret  the  constitution  as 
possessing  large  powers.  In  all  this  study  and  experience, 
he  had  accumulated  a  large  surplus  of  knowledge  and  of 
conviction  on  the  subject  of  nationality,  which  enabled  him 
to  attack  the  doctrine  of  States'  Rights  in  a  manner  which 
disconcerted  his  opponents  and  delighted  his  friends.  When 
the  supreme  moment  in  his  life  came,  he  was  prepared  to 
meet  it  with  honor  to  himself  and  with  lasting  benefits  to 
his  country,  because  of  the  surplus  of  knowledge  which  he 
had  accumulated  in  the  preceding  years. 


no          THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

In  some  such  manner,  teachers  should  be  prepared  to 
meet  the  supreme  moments  in  their  lives  as  teachers  - 
moments  which  may  determine,  in  a  large  measure,  the 
future  success  or  failure  of  their  pupils.  Fortunately,  most 
of  us  can  recall  a  few  teachers  of  this  type  —  teachers  who 
taught  out  of  the  fullness  of  their  accumulated  surplus  of 
knowledge  of  the  subject  assigned  for  study.  When  the 
opportunity  came,  they  were  ready  to  meet  it  so  as  to  arouse 
interest,  hold  attention,  and  create  a  hunger  to  know  and 
to  grow.  Because  of  preparation  made  all  through  the 
years,  they  were  able  not  only  to  teach  the  lesson  assigned 
but  also  to  relate  its  teachings  to  life  and  living. 

However  large  the  capital  with  which  teachers  begin 
their  work,  unless  a  constantly  increasing  surplus  of  mental 
vigor  is  added  with  each  year's  experience,  their  intellectual 
decay  and  death  are  certain  to  follow.  In  every  instance  a 
dead  or  dying  school  is  the  direct  result  of  a  dead  or  dying 
teacher.  It  is,  therefore,  the  constant  desire  of  every  live 
teacher  to  accumulate  such  a  surplus  of  mental  vigor  as 
will  give  life  to  the  school  and  animate  all  who  attend  it 
with  an  eager  desire  to  work  for  an  education  which  will 
fit  them  for  life's  duties  and  life's  activities. 


VIII 
A   SURPLUS   OF   HEART   POWER 

EVEN  with  a  surplus  of  physical  vitality  and  mental 
vigor,  however,  teachers  may  fail  to  touch  the  life 
of  their  pupils  in  such  a  manner  as  to  insure  their 
growth  in  the  best  things  of  life.  Something  more  than  a 
strong  body  and  a  keen  mind  is  necessary  in  the  equipment 
of  teachers.  It  is  imperative  that  they  also  possess  a  large 
surplus  of  heart  power,  without  which  all  teaching  must 
fail  to  realize  its  highest  purpose. 

The  need  of  heart  culture.  —  Perhaps  the  most  serious 
lack  in  modern  education  is  the  failure  to  develop  this  heart 
power  in  pupils.  In  the  emphasis  which  .has  been  placed 
upon  the  intellectual,  in  many  instances,  the  spiritual  has 
been  neglected.  Boys  and  girls  need  to  be  taught  to 
appreciate  as  well  as  to  know ;  to  feel  as  well  as  to  do ;  to 
sympathize  with  workers  as  well  as  to  work. 

In  these  days  when  special  emphasis  is  being  placed 
upon  the  importance  of  things  material,  when  some  would 
have  us  think  that  preparation  for  making  a  living  is  the 
only  purpose  of  education,  when  we  are  told  that  all  the 
products  of  the  school  can  be  definitely  measured,  there  is 
great  need  that  attention  be  called  to  the  fruits  of  the 
spirit  and  to  the  fact  that  the  best  products  of  education 
cannot  be  measured  in  terms  of  the  physical  and  the  in- 
tellectual. Heart  culture  must  not  be  neglected.  The 
emotional  life  of  children  must  not  be  starved  for  lack  of 
appropriate  food  and  exercise. 


ii2          THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

An  illustration  from  Dickens.  —  In  some  of  the  extremely 
"  practical  "  theories  of  education,  advanced  at  the  present 
time,  is  found  conclusive  evidence  that  the  descendants  of 
the  Gradgrinds,  M'Choakumchilds,  and  Feeders,  whose 
characters  are  so  perfectly  delineated  by  Charles  Dickens, 
are  still  abroad  in  the  land  and  differ  little  from  their  an- 
cestors. The  following  quotation  from  Hard  Times,  de- 
scriptive of  the  leading  characteristics  of  Thomas  Grad- 
grind, quite  definitely  defines  the  attitude  toward  education 
of  some  of  the  modern  measurers  of  educational  results. 

"Thomas  Gradgrind,  sir.  A  man  of  realities.  A  man  of  facts 
and  calculations.  A  man  who  proceeds  upon  the  principle  that  two 
and  two  are  four,  and  nothing  over,  and  who  is  not  to  be  talked  into 
allowing  for  anything  over.  Thomas  Gradgrind,  sir  —  peremptorily 
Thomas  —  Thomas  Gradgrind.  With  a  rule  and  a  pair  of  scales,  and 
the  multiplication  table  always  in  his  pocket,  sir,  ready  to  weigh 
and  measure  any  parcel  of  human  nature,  and  tell  you  exactly  what 
it  comes  to.  It  is  a  mere  question  of  figures,  a  case  of  simple  arith- 
metic." , 

A  glance  at  a  Gradgrind  School  in  full  operation  at  the 
time  when  Dickens  wrote,  together  with  a  brief  considera- 
tion of  the  methods  used  there  and  the  results  which 
followed,  will  not  be  without  profit. 

Following  a  remarkable  definition  of  horse,  by  "  Bitzer," 
the  recitation  in  this  School  of  Facts  proceeded : 

"'  That's  a  horse.  Now  let  me  ask  you  girls  and  boys,  Would 
you  paper  a  room  with  representations  of  horses  ? ' 

"After  a  pause,  one-half  of  the  children  cried  in  chorus,  'Yes,  sir!' 
Upon  which  the  other  half,  seeing  in  the  gentleman's  face  that  Yes 
was  wrong,  cried  out  in  chorus,  'No,  sir!'  as  the  custom  is,  in  these 
examinations. 

"'Of  course,  No.    Why  wouldn't  you?' 


A   SURPLUS   OF   HEART  POWER  113 

"A  pause.  One  corpulent  slow  boy,  with  a  wheezy  manner  of. 
breathing,  ventured  the  answer,  Because  he  wouldn't  paper  a  room 
at  all,  but  would  paint  it. 

"'You  must  paper  it/  said  the  gentleman,  rather  warmly. 

"'You  must  paper  it/  said  Thomas  Gradgrind,  'whether  you  like 
it  or  not.  Don't  tell  us  you  wouldn't  paper  it.  What  do  you  mean, 
boy? 

"'I'll  explain  to  you,  then,'  said  the  gentleman,  after  another 
dismal  pause,  'why  you  wouldn't  paper  a  room  with  representations 
of  horses.  Do  you  ever  see  horses  walking  up  and  down  the  sides  of 
rooms  in  reality  —  in  fact  ?  Do  you  ? ' 

" '  Yes,  sir ! '  from  one-half.     '  No,  sir ! '  from  the  other. 

'"Of  course,  no/  said  the  gentleman,  with  an  indignant  look  at 
the  wrong  half.  'Why,  then,  you  are  not  to  see  anywhere,  what 
you  don't  see  in  fact ;  you  are  not  to  have  anywhere,  what  you  don't 
have  in  fact.  What  is  called  Taste,  is  only  another  name  for  Fact.' 

"Thomas  Gradgrind  nodded  his  approbation. 

"'This  is  a  new  principle,  a  discovery,  a  great  discovery/  said 
the  gentleman.  'Now,  I'll  try  you  again.  Suppose  you  were  going 
to  carpet  a  room.  Would  you  use  a  carpet  having  a  representation 
of  flowers  upon  it  ? ' 

"There  being  a  general  conviction  by  this  time  that  'No,  sir!7 
was  always  the  right  answer  to  this  gentleman,  the  chorus  of  No  was 
very  strong.  Only  a  few  feeble  stragglers  said  Yes;  among  them 
Sissy  Jupe. 

" '  Girl,  number  twenty ! '  said  the  gentleman,  smiling  in  the  calm 
strength  of  knowledge. 

"  Sissy  blushed,  and  stood  up. 

"'So  you  would  carpet  your  room  —  or  your  husband's  room, 
if  you  were  a  grown  woman,  and  had  a  husband  —  with  representa- 
tions of  flowers,  would  you  ? '  said  the  gentleman.  '  Why  would  you  ? ' 

'"If  you  please,  sir,  I  am  very  fond  of  flowers,'  returned  the  girl. 

"'And  is  that  why  you  would  put  tables  and  chairs  upon  them, 
and  have  people  walking  over  them  with  heavy  boots  ? ' 

'"It  wouldn't  hurt  them,  sir.  They  wouldn't  crush  and  wither, 
if  you  please,  sir.  They  would  be  the  pictures  of  what  was  very 

pretty  and  pleasant,  and  I  would  fancy ! 

OUR  PUB.  s.  —  8 


ii4  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

"'Ay,  ay,  ay!  But  you  mustn't  fancy,'  cried  the  gentleman, 
quite  elated  by  coming  so  happily  to  his  point. 

"' That's  it !    You  are  never  to  fancy.' 

"'You  are  not,  Cecelia  Jupe,'  Thomas  Gradgrind  solemnly  re- 
peated, 'to  do  anything  of  that  kind.' 

"'Fact,  fact,  fact!'  said  the  gentleman.  And  'Fact,  fact,  fact!' 
repeated  Thomas  Gradgrind. 

"'You  are  to  be  in  all  things  regulated  and  governed,'  said  the 
gentleman,  'by  fact.  We  hope  to  have,  before  long,  a  board  of  fact, 
composed  of  commissioners  of  fact,  who  will  force  the  people  to  be  a 
people  of  fact,  and  nothing  but  fact.  You  must  discard  the  word 
Fancy  altogether.  You  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  You  are  not  to 
have,  in  any  object  of  use  or  ornament,  what  would  be  a  contradiction 
in  fact.  You  don't  walk  upon  flowers  in  fact ;  you  cannot  be  allowed 
to  walk  upon  flowers  in  carpets.  You  don't  find  that  foreign  birds 
and  butterflies  come  and  perch  upon  your  crockery ;  you  cannot  be 
permitted  to  paint  foreign  birds  and  butterflies  upon  your  crockery. 
You  never  meet  with  quadrupeds  going  up  and  down  walls;  you 
must  not  have  quadrupeds  represented  on  walls.  You  must  use,'  said 
the  gentleman,  'for  all  these  purposes,  combinations  and  modifica- 
tions (in  primary  colors)  of  mathematical  figures  which  are  susceptible 
of  proof  and  demonstration.  This  is  the  new  discovery.  This  is 
fact.  This  is  taste.'" 

In  this  School  of  Facts,  Dickens,  the  great  defender  of 
the  rights  of  childhood,  tells  us  no  little  Gradgrind  had 
ever  seen  a  face  in  the  moon;  had  ever  learned  the  silly 
jingle, 

"Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star, 
How  I  wonder  what  you  are;" 

had  ever  associated  a  cow  in  the  field  with  the  famous  cow 
with  the  crumpled  horn,  who  tossed  the  dog  who  worried 
the  cat  who  killed  the  rat  who  ate  the  malt,  or  with  the 
yet  more  famous  cow  that  swallowed  Tom  Thumb. 


A    SURPLUS    OF   HEART   POWER  115 

When  Thomas  Gradgrind  learned  that  his  children, 
Thomas  and  Louisa,  had  actually  peeped  in  at  a  circus, 
his  indignation  knew  no  bounds.  In  an  outburst  of  sur- 
prise, he  excitedly  remarked  to  the  mother  that  he  would 
as  soon  have  expected  to  find  his  children  reading  poetry. 
On  another  occasion,  when  Louisa  had  been  overheard  to 
begin  a  conversation  with  her  brother  by  saying,  "  Tom, 
I  wonder,"  she  was  immediately  censured  and  sternly 
told  that  she  must  never  wonder. 

Trained  in  this  School  of  Facts,  her  emotional  life  cruelly 
starved,  Louisa  Gradgrind  grew  to  young  womanhood  and 
was  married  to  Josiah  Bounderby,  the  owner  of  Coketown, 
"  a  big,  loud  man  with  a  stare,  and  a  metallic  laugh,  a  man 
made  out  of  coarse  material/'  ignorant  and  unsympathetic 
-  the  "  Bully  of  humility."  This  marriage  was  negotiated 
by  her  father  as  a  business  transaction  in  keeping  with  his 
heartless  methods  and  in  harmony  with  his  system  of  edu- 
cation. Even  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  was  simply  one 
more  Fact  in  the  world's  long  list  of  Facts.  There  followed 
the  inevitable  domestic  misery  incident  to  all  such  heartless 
and  loveless  unions.  In  a  short  time  the  crisis  came  and 
the  heartbroken  woman,  who  had  no  knowledge  "  of  tastes 
and  fancies,  of  aspirations  and  affections,"  who  had  "  never 
had  a  child's  heart  "  nor  "  dreamed  a  child's  dreams,"  left 
the  abode  of  her  married  misery  to  which  she  had  been  con- 
signed by  her  heartless  father,  and  returned  to  his  home. 

Humiliated  by  the  sad  experience  through  which  his 
daughter  had  passed,  Thomas  Gradgrind  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  could  not  "  but  mistrust  himself  "  and 
in  the  shadow  of  this  doubt,  he  soliloquized  in  language 
both  pathetic  and  suggestive :  , 


n6  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

"Some  persons  hold  that  there  is  a  wisdom  of  the  Head,  and  that 
there  is  a  wisdom  of  the  Heart.  I  have  not  supposed  so ;  but,  as  I 
have  said,  I  mistrust  myself,  now.  I  have  supposed  the  Head  to  be 
all-sufficient.  It  may  not  be  all-sufficient ;  how  can  I  venture  this 
morning  to  say  it  is ! " 

In  this  manner,  in  the  school  of  life's  sad  experience, 
Thomas  Gradgrind  slowly  learned  the  lesson  which  this 
generation  needs  to  learn  —  that  the  wisdom  of  the  Head, 
important  as  it  is  and  must  always  remain,  is  not  all- 
sufficient,  and  that  there  is  a  higher  and  much  more  im- 
portant wisdom  —  the  wisdom  of  the  Heart,  which  must 
not  be  neglected  in  the  schools,  if  the  boys  and  girls  who 
attend  them  are  to  be  prepared  for  lives  of  real  usefulness 
and  joyful  service. 

"It  is  the  heart  and  not  the  brain 
That  to  the  highest  doth  attain." 

Feeling  and  understanding.  —  This  wisdom  of  the  heart 
cannot  be  learned  from  books  by  means  of  formal  lessons. 
It  must  result  largely  from  daily  communion  in  the  home 
and  school  with  parents  and  teachers  who  possess  a  large 
surplus  of  heart  power  accumulated  by  living  lives  of  un- 
selfish service  and  by  giving  freely  of  their  own  life  for 
others. 

When  the  Lord  appeared  to  Solomon  in  a  dream  by 
night  and  said  unto  him,  "  Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee," 
this  wisest  man  of  all  the  ages  replied,  "  Give,  therefore, 
thy  servant  an  understanding  heart  that  I  may  discern 
between  good  and  bad."  B.ecause  of  his  wise  choice  and 
because  he  did  not  ask  for  mere  material  blessings,  Solomon 
was  given  not  only  a  "  wise  and  understanding  heart,"  but 


A    SURPLUS    OF   HEART   POWER  117 

also  the  material  blessings,  which  he  did  not  primarily 
seek.  The  sentiment  credited  to  him  that  as  a  man 
thinketh  in  his  heart,  so  is  he,  applies  to  all  times  and  all 
conditions.  To  the  truthfulness  of  the  divine  teachings  of 
the  primary  importance  and  the  fundamental  necessity  of 
heart  power  in  the  lives  of  those  who  are  really  to  lead  in 
the  world's  work,  all  human  experience  bears  willing  testi- 
mony. All  agree  that  out  of  the  heart  are  the  real  issues 
of  life.  To  the  teacher  such  heart  power  is  absolutely 
indispensable.  To  the  accumulation  of  a  surplus  of  such 
power  all  worthy  teachers  aspire. 

The  physical  and  the  intellectual.  —  Within  certain 
limits,  rather  definitely  fixed,  physical  exercise  is  beneficial 
and  results  in  an  accumulation  of  a  surplus  of  physical  life 
and  vigor.  Beyond  these  limits  it  cannot  go  without  im- 
pairing physical  strength  and  even  endangering  life  itself. 
Evidence  of  this  is  furnished  in  the  sudden  collapse  of  the 
overtrained  athlete  who  pays  the  penalty  of  failing  to 
recognize  the  limitations  to  which  physical  training  can 
be  safely  carried. 

In  the  higher  realm  of  the  intellectual,-  appropriate 
mental  exercise  is  also  the  only  means  of  accumulating  a 
surplus  of  mental  vigor.  While  there  are  also  in  this 
realm  limitations  beyond  which  the  exercise  of  the  mind 
cannot  go  without  endangering  its  healthful  action  and 
growth,  usually  the  more  the  minds  of  teachers  are  exer- 
cised in  an  intelligent  effort  to  clarify  the  subject  matter 
taught  to  their  pupils,  the  more  vigorous  their  own  minds 
become.  Brain  fag  on  the  part  of  teachers  scarcely  ever 
results  from  an  over  accumulation  of  a  surplus  of  knowl- 
edge. As  a  rule  minds  wear  out  from  a  lack  of  such  surplus. 


n8  THE  TEACHER'S  GROWTH  AND  SURPLUS 

The  spiritual.  —  In  the  highest  realm  of  all  —  the 
spiritual  —  the  cultivation  of  the  emotional  life,  resulting 
in  the  accumulation  of  a  surplus  of  Wisdom  of  the  Heart, 
is  realized  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  physical  and 
mental  —  by  appropriate  exercise.  In  this  exercise  no  se- 
rious attention  need  be  paid  to  the  conflicting  theories  of 
opposing  schools  of  psychologists,  one  of  which  claims  to 
believe  that  the  actions  produce  the  emotions,  while  the 
other  insists  that  the  emotions  produce  the  actions. 
Wise  teachers  will  strive  so  to  teach  that  both  emotions 
and  actions  will  result,  and  they  will  not  waste  time 
in  trying  to  discover  which  is  cause  and  which  is  effect. 

It  is  invariably  true  that  the  more  heart  power  teachers 
put  into  their  work  the  more  they  have  on  hand  for  use. 
The  more  they  give  to  their  pupils  out  of  the  fullness  of 
their  own  spiritual  life,  the  larger  their  own  souls  grow. 
We  all  know  great-hearted  teachers  who  are  living  mani- 
festations of  the  true,  even  if  paradoxical,  statement  that 
the  only  way  to  get  life  is  to  give  life.  Unfortunately, 
there  are  teachers  of  the  opposite  type  who  constantly 
exemplify  the  equally  true  statement  that  the  certain  way 
to  lose  life  is  to  save  it. 

Teachers  who  possess  a  surplus  of  physical  vitality  which 
gives  strength  of  body,  a  surplus  of  intellectual  vigor  which 
provides  wisdom  of  the  head,  and  a  surplus  of  heart  power 
which  insures  wisdom  of  the  heart,  are  well  equipped  not 
only  for  their  daily  duties  but  also  for  the  emergencies 
which  may  at  any  moment  arise  in  the  classroom.  Such 
an  equipment  tends  to  that  perfect  self-control  of  body 
.  and  mind  so  essential  to  success  in  the  work  of  the  school. 


THE    TEACHER    AND    THE    SUPERINTENDENT 


IX 
ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS 

IN  the  midst  of  the  many  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments which  teachers  are  certain  to  meet,  both  in 
the  schoolroom  and  outside  of  it,  it  is  well  for  them 
to  realize  that  there  are  also  many  sources  of  encourage- 
ment from  which  inspiration  can  be  drawn  to  help  them  in 
their  daily  tasks.  It  is  unfortunate  for  any  class  of  people 
to  habituate  themselves  to  thinking  that  all  the  hard 
things  of  life  and  living  center  about  their  calling  or  pro- 
fession. The  advice  of  Mrs.  Wiggs  —  "  Don't  you  go  an' 
git  sorry  fer  yerself  "  -  furnishes  a  wholesome  philosophy 
for  all  who  are  inclined  to  complain  about  their  condition. 
The  "  Glad  Game  "  has  great  possibilities  in  it  for  all  who 
are  willing  to  play  it  in  the  right  spirit. 

The  habit  of  complaining.  —  A  friend  who  was  once 
entertained  in  the  home  of  a  discouraged  school  principal 
was  compelled  to  listen  to  his  lament  that  all  his  days 
were  spent  with  children ;  that  he  had  no  opportunity  to 
mingle  with  his  equals  in  the  world  of  business ;  and  that 
he  longed  for  the  time  when  he  could  leave  the  schoolroom 
and  its  anxieties  and  perplexities  and  enjoy  freedom  from 
the  care  which  he  vainly  imagined  belonged  only  to  the 
life  of  the  teacher.  Within  a  week  afterward  this  friend 
talked  with  another  man  who  had  taught  school  in  his 
earlier  years,  and  who  had  become  a  successful  business 
man.  He  lamented  the  fact  that  he  had  to  witness  so 
many  of  the  dishonest  practices  of  the  business  world,  and 


122      THE  TEACHER  AND  THE  SUPERINTENDENT 

stated  that  he  often  longed  for  a  return  of  the  days  when 
he  taught  school  and  associated  with  bright,  happy,  inno- 
cent children.  In  most  human  beings  there  is  a  tendency 
to  make  difficulties  harder  to  meet  by  imagining  that  other 
people  have  none  to  meet.  The  best  remedy  for  this 
disease  is  a  full  realization  of  the  fact  that  no  workers 
anywhere  are  without  their  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments, and  that  all  worthy  work  worthily  performed  has 
connected  with  its  performance  sources  of  encouragement. 
Consciousness  of  duty.  —  Teachers  in  common  with  all 
others,  who  are  honestly  and  faithfully  trying  to  meet 
their  responsibilities  and  to  improve  their  opportunities, 
find  in  the  consciousness  of  duty  performed  a  source  of 
genuine  encouragement.  No  one  can  deprive  teachers  of 
the  happiness  which  always  comes  from  this  source.  With 
such  encouragement,  the  routine  work  of  the  school  loses 
much  of  what  must  be  drudgery  to  teachers  who  complain 
of  their  responsibilities  or  who  refuse  to  make  use  of  their 
opportunities.  Work  can  never  grow  monotonous  to 
teachers  who  have  high  ideals  of  duty.  To  them  will 
come  something  of  the  vision  of  a  life  of  duty  made  up  in 
a  large  measure  of  a  repetition  of  daily  tasks  performed  in 
a  happy  spirit,  and  so  beautifully  described  in  the  follow- 
ing stanza  from  Edward  Rowland  Sill : 

"  Forenoon  and  afternoon  and  night  — 
Forenoon  and  afternoon  and  night  — 
Forenoon  and  afternoon  —  and  what  ? 
And  that  is  life  ? 

No  more  ?    Make  this  forenoon  sublime, 
This  afternoon  a  psalm,  this  night  a  prayer, 
And  time  is  conquered  and  thy  crown  is  won." 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS         123 

The  teacher's  silent  influence.  —  To  many  teachers  en- 
grossed with  the  details  of  their  daily  routine  there  may 
seem  to  be  little  opportunity  to  have  any  part  in  the  con- 
sideration or  the  solution  of  what  may  appear  to  them  to 
be  the  larger  and  more  important  problems  of  education 
and  life.  It  is  nevertheless  true  that  all  teachers  who 
faithfully  perform  their  daily  tasks  do  have  a  large  part 
in  the  solution  of  all  such  problems. 

Nearly  three  decades  ago,  in  a  small  village  school,  a 
modest  but  efficient  primary  teacher  conscientiously  taught 
the  little  children  some  of  the  simple  facts  about  the  in- 
jurious effects  of  alcohol  upon  the  human  system.  Among 
the  children  thus  taught  was  a  little  boy  whose  father,  a 
working  man,  occasionally  indulged  in  the  use  of  liquor. 
One  day  the  father,  accompanied  by  his  boy,  was  offered 
a  glass  of  beer  by  a  friend  who,  at  the  same  time,  laughingly 
offered  to  the  child  a  tiny  glass  of  the  same  beverage.  As 
the  father  raised  his  glass  to  his  lips,  he  was  startled  by  the 

statement  of  his  boy  that  Miss ,  his  teacher,  had 

told  him  that  it  was  not  good  for  people  to  drink  beer  or 
whiskey.  The  father  looked  at  his  boy  and  thought  of 
the  possibility  that,  when  he  grew  up,  he  might  not  be 
able  to  control  an  appetite  for  drink  acquired  by  following 
his  father's  example.  He  realized  what  the  teacher,  in 
whom  he  had  perfect  confidence,  was  unselfishly  trying  to 
do  and  he  then  and  there  became  a  total  abstainer  and 
an  active  opponent  of  the  saloon.  In  all  the  campaigns 
against  the  saloon,  which  have  been  carried  on  in  the 
village,  county,  and  state  in  which  this  father  lives,  he  and 
his  son  have  been  ardent  champions  of  the  temperance 
cause.  Who  will  say  that  that  primary  teacher,  and 


124  THE   TEACHER   AND    THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

thousands  of  others  like  her,  have  not  had  a  large  part  in 
bringing  about  the  great  temperance  movement  which  has 
been  sweeping  over  'the  country,  and  which  is  resulting  in 
the  abolition  of  the  saloon  in  the  entire  nation? 

Gratitude  and  confidence  of  pupils.  —  In  the  appreciation 
of  their  pupils  or  students,  teachers  find  another  source  of 
most  helpful  encouragement.  Frequently  this  encourage- 
ment comes  in  the  classroom  with  the  teaching  of  the 
lesson.  All  who  teach  well,  know  the  joy  which  comes 
with  noting  the  change  of  countenance  in  pupils  who  have 
passed  from  darkness  to  light,  as  the  result  of  an  under- 
standing of  some  difficulty  which  has  been  made  plain  to 
them  by  some  helpful  suggestion  from  the  teacher.  Some- 
times pupils  who  have  been  made  to  realize  by  means  of 
discipline  the  harmful  results  of  wrongdoing  manifest 
sincere  appreciation  for  what  has  been  done  for  them  by 
teachers.  The  assumption  that  merited  punishment  al- 
ways leads  pupils  to  hate  teachers  who  administer  such 
punishment  is  unwarranted.  One  reason  for  the  absence 
of  appreciation  of  pupils  for  their  teachers  is  the  absence 
of  the  wholesome  discipline  which  teaches  respect  and 
commands  obedience. 

All  who  have  taught  long  enough  to  see  their  former 
pupils  engaged  in  the  affairs  of  actual  life  know  the  en- 
couragement which  comes  with  the  hearty  appreciation 
of  men  and  women  whom  they  formerly  taught.  Not  in- 
frequently successful  business  men  readily  give  credit  to 
their  boyhood  teachers  for  the  training  which  has  made 
their  success  possible.  In  all  communities  will  be  found 
ministers,  lawyers,  physicians,  bankers,  working  men,  and 
working  women  —  persons  in  all  walks  of  life  who  are  ever 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS          125 

ready  to  pay  tribute  to  the  teachers  of  their  childhood  and 
youth.  Many  teachers  now  living  in  retirement  find  in 
the  gratitude  of  their  former  pupils  a  source  of  such  comfort 
and  joy  as  are  unknown  to  persons  who  have  devoted  their 
lives  to  the  accumulation  of  property  with  no  thought  of 
helpfulness  to  others. 

Parents  should  show  faith  in  the  teacher.  —  The  ap- 
preciation of  parents  for  what  teachers  do  for  their  children 
is  a  third  source  of  encouragement  for  teachers.  Unfor- 
tunately there  are  many  parents  who  never  express  the 
gratitude  which  they  feel.  In  this  respect  they  are  not 
unlike  other  people,  including  teachers.  In  another  chapter 
of  this  book  teachers  are  urged  to  express  the  appreciation 
which  is  due  their  pupils  for  their  readiness  to  cooperate 
in  the  discipline  of  the  school  and  for  their  efforts  to  do 
the  work  assigned  to  them  day  by  day.  It  is  equally 
important  that  parents  express  the  appreciation  which  is 
due  teachers  for  their  readiness  to  cooperate  with  the 
home  and  for  their  faithful  work  in  the  schoolroom.  With 
some  parents,  failure  to  express  their  appreciation  of  teach- 
ers is  due  to  timidity.  With  others,  indifference  is  the 
cause.  With  a  still  larger  number,  thoughtlessness  is  the 
explanation.  The  attitude  of  the  latter  class  is  indicated 
by  the  following  illustration. 

A  superintendent  of  schools  was  called  into  the  store  of 
a  prominent  business  man  for  a  conference.  This  business 
man  hastened  to  tell  the  superintendent  with  much  en- 
thusiasm of  the  good  work  which  a  new  eighth  grade 
teacher  was  doing.  When  asked  how  he  knew  about  the 
teacher  and  her  good  work,  the  man  replied  that  he  had  a 
boy  in  her  school ;  that  this  boy  had  given  his  parents  much 


126  THE   TEACHER  AND    THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

anxiety  because  he  had  formed  such  a  dislike  for  going  to 
school  the  year  before  that  it  had  been  difficult  to  persuade 
him  to  enter  the  eighth  grade ;  that  the  father  had  com- 
pelled him  to  go  but  that  he  had  feared  that  he  might  not 
be  able  to  keep  him  in  school,  and  that  if  he  did  remain  in 
school,  little  would  be  accomplished  by  him.  He  then 
told  of  the  remarkable  change  which  had  come  over  his 
boy,  that  he  now  loved  to  go  to  school  and  gladly  remained 
at  home  in  the  evenings  to  prepare  his  lessons  for  the  next 
day.  This  father  gave  the  teacher  the  entire  credit  for 
the  change  in  the  boy's  attitude  toward  school  and  study 
and  declared  that  the  teacher  must  be  a  remarkable  woman 
to  exercise  such  a  wholesome  influence  over  a  boy.  The 
superintendent  thanked  the  father  for  his  kindly  expression 
of  appreciation  of  the  work  of  the  new  teacher  and  then 
inquired  whether  he  had  told  her  of  his  gratitude  for  what 
she  had  done  for  his  boy.  With  deep  embarrassment  the 
father  replied,  "  I  never  thought  of  it."  In  the  confession, 
"  I  never  thought  of  it,"  will  be  found  the  reason  for  the 
failure  of  many  parents  to  express  the  appreciation  which 
they  really  feel  for  the  work  of  teachers. 

While  such  thoughtlessness  of  parents  is  inexcusable,  it 
is  unwise  for  teachers  to  dwell  upon  it  to  such  an  extent  as 
to  lead  them  to  fail  to  realize  that  there  are  many  parents 
who  do  think  to  express  their  appreciation  of  the  work  of 
the  school.  Such  parents  are  found  in  all  communities 
and  their  gratitude  is  a  source  of  constant  encouragement 
to  teachers. 

The  teacher  and  the  school  board.  —  The  approval 
of  boards  of  education  is  another  source  of  encourage- 
ment. Only  persons  who  have  served  on  boards  of 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS         127 

education  can  fully  realize  the  responsibility  of  the  po- 
sition and  the  thanklessness  of  the  public  exhibited  in 
too  many  instances  by  an  attitude  of  unreasonable  and 
unjust  criticism  manifested  toward  the  men  and  women 
who  give  many  hours  of  valuable  time  in  the  most  im- 
portant public  service  to  which  any  one  can  be  called. 
Even  teachers  are  sometimes  unappreciative  of  what 
members  of  boards  of  education  do  for  them.  In  some 
instances  their  lack  of  appreciation  is  shown  by  joining  in 
the  criticism  which  is  too  often  due  to  ignorance  or  mis- 
understanding. More  frequently  this  lack  of  appreciation 
is  shown  by  a  failure  to  extend  to  the  board  the  courtesy  of 
a  word  of  thanks,  either  spoken  or  written,  for  an  election 
to  a  position  or  for  a  reelection  at  an  increase  in  salary. 
A  few  years  ago,  in  one  of  the  states  of  the  central  west, 
the  enactment  of  a  new  school  code  necessitated  the  elec- 
tion of  new  boards  of  education  to  succeed  boards  which 
had  been  in  control  of  the  schools  for  many  years.  After 
the  election  in  one  of  the  townships,  the  members  of  both 
boards  met  together  to  consider  the  needs  and  interests  of 
the  schools  of  the  township,  and  to  transact  the  business 
incident  to  the  transfer  of  authority  from  the  old  board  to 
the  new.  The  meeting  was  an  important  one,  continuing 
until  late  at  night.  One  of  the  members  had  gone  to  sleep 
early  in  the  session.  When  the  time  came  for  final  adjourn- 
ment, he  was  peacefully  slumbering.  Before  taking  the 
final  step  which  would  close  the  old  and  open  the  new 
administration,  the  clerk  of  the  old  board  remarked  that 
he  desired  to  read  a  letter  which  had  been  addressed  to 
him,  and  which  was  of  interest  to  all  the  retiring  members. 
He  then  proceeded  to  read : 


128  THE    TEACHER  AND    THE    SUPERINTENDENT 

11 Board  of  Education, 

Township, 


"GENTLEMEN: 

"I  am  sending  this  note  to  thank"  — 

The  unusual  sound  of  the  word  "  thank  "  aroused  the 
sleeping  member  who  straightened  up  in  his  chair  and 
asked  what  was  going  on.  The  clerk  then  started  at  the 
beginning  and  read, 

"I  am  sending  this  note  to  thank  you,  the  members  of  the  retiring 
board  of  education,  for  the  position  to  which  you  elected  me  last 
year,  for  the  support  you  have  given  me  in  my  work,  and  for  the 
increase  in  salary  granted  me  this  year." 

This  note  of  appreciation  was  signed  by  a  young  woman 
who  was  a  graduate  of  the  normal  school  of  the  near-by 
city.  A  member  of  this  board,  who  served  the  schools  of 
his  township  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and 
who  always  loyally  supported  the  teachers,  is  authority 
for  the  statement  that  in  all  that  time  the  note  from  this 
teacher  was  the  only  note  received  from  any  one  thanking 
the  board  for  anything. 

Teachers  should  show  their  appreciation  of  an  election 
or  a  reelection  not  alone  by  a  courteous  expression  of 
gratitude  for  the  confidence  thereby  manifested  in  them, 
but  also  by  the  recognition  of  the  fact  that  an  agreement 
or  a  contract  with  a  board  of  education  to  teach  school  for 
a  definite  period  at  a  definite  salary  is  an  obligation  to  be 
sacredly  kept  and  not  a  mere  "  scrap  of  paper  "  to  be 
ignored,  should  they  be  elected  to  a  more  desirable  posi- 
tion at  a  larger  salary.  Superintendents  in  search  of 
teachers  should  also  recognize  that  some  professional 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR   TEACHERS  1 29 

courtesy  is  due  other  superintendents  and  their  boards  of 
education.  They  should  never  attempt  to  induce  teach- 
ers to  leave  the  positions  to  which  they  have  already  ac- 
cepted an  election  or  a  reelection,  without  first  consulting 
the  school  authorities  in  charge  of  the  school  which  such 
teachers  have  contracted  to  serve.  In  many  instances 
teachers  should  be  released  from  their  agreements  or  con- 
tracts, when  called  to  better  positions  at  increased  salaries. 
But  in  no  instance  have  they  either  a  legal  or  moral  right 
to  accept  another  position,  until  they  have  been  honorably 
released  from  the  position  previously  accepted.  No  excuse 
can  be  offered  for  the  breaking  of  a  contract  by  a  teacher. 
The  sure  test  of  merit.  —  There  are  three  important 
ways  in  which  boards  of  education  can  encourage  teachers 
in  their  work.  The  first  is  by  recognizing  merit  and  merit 
alone  in  their  election  and  retention.  By  such  recognition 
inferior  teachers  can  be  largely  eliminated  from  any  system 
of  schools  and  superior  teachers  will  be  greatly  encouraged 
to  give  their  best  service  to  the  schools.  How  to  determine 
definitely  who  are  teachers  of  merit  is  not  always  an  easy 
question,  especially  when  the  persons  under  consideration 
have  had  no  actual  experience  in  actual  teaching.  Per- 
sonality is  always  an  important  factor.  A  right  attitude 
toward  life  and  childhood  is  a  necessity.  Professionally 
trained  teachers  with  the  "  model  school "  experience 
which  is  generally  a  part  of  their  training  are  usually  the 
best  "  prospects,"  and  should  be  given  preference.  But 
no  one  can  foretell  with  absolute  certainty  whether  or 
not  anyone  without  experience  will  succeed  as  a  teacher. 
The  one  sure  test  is  teaching.  After  this  test  is  made,  it 
is  usually  not  difficult  to  determine  whether  a  teacher 

OUR  PUB.   S. — Q 


130  THE    TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

merits  retention  or  not.  It  is  always  necessary,  however, 
that  care  be  exercised  in  passing  final  judgment  upon  the 
success  or  failure  of  teachers.  With  some,  the  promise  of 
success  which  characterized  their  early  efforts  is  not  real- 
ized. With  others,  what  seemed  failure  in  the  beginning 
changes  into  success  later  on.  Fortunately,  members  of 
boards  of  education  do  not  have  to  rely  upon  their  own 
judgment  in  deciding  the  merits  of  teachers.  Superin- 
tendents and  principals  are  employed  to  perform  this 
service  and  their  recommendations  are  always  followed 
by  wise  boards  of  education. 

Encouragement  by  boards  of  education.  —  Another  way 
in  which  boards  of  education  can  extend  much  needed 
encouragement  to  teachers  is  by  giving  them  their  com- 
plete confidence  and  loyal  support.  As  long  as  teachers 
are  retained  in  the  schools  they  have  a  right  to  expect 
and  they  should  always  have  such  confidence  and  support. 
Worthy  members  of  boards  of  education  will  never  be 
swerved  in  their  loyalty  to  teachers  by  the  carping  criti- 
cism which  always  exists.  One  member  of  a  board  of 
education,  who  shows  a  willingness  to  listen  to  complaints 
against  teachers  in  their  absence,  can  make  untold  trouble 
for  the  schools.  Even  when  complaints  are  valid  and 
criticisms  are  just,  they  should  be  made  to  the  superin- 
tendent or  principal  who  can  usually  dispose  of  them  satis- 
factorily. In  no  case  should  members  of  boards  of  educa- 
tion take  the  initiative  in  such  settlement.  Boards  of 
education  are  courts  of  last  resort  in  determining  justice 
to  teachers,  pupils,  and  patrons.  Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances the  fewer  sessions  held  for  this  purpose  the  better 
for  the  schools. 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS         131 

Liberal  salaries.  —  While  a  consciousness  of  duty  per- 
formed, words  of  appreciation  from  grateful  pupils  and 
patrons,  and  the  confidence  and  support  of  loyal  members 
of  boards  of  education  furnish  much  needed  encouragement 
to  teachers,  all  these  combined  do  not  provide  a  means  of 
livelihood.  While  their  value  cannot  be  computed  in 
money,  neither  can  they  take  the  place  of  money.  While 
deserving  teachers  never  teach  for  money  alone,  all  teach- 
ers must  have  money  with  which  to  buy  the  necessities  of 
life.  A  third  way,  therefore,  and  in  many  respects  the 
most  important  way  in  which  boards  of  education  can 
give  encouragement  to  teachers,  is  by  the  payment  of 
liberal  salaries.  In  some  instances  persons  are  elected  to 
membership  on  boards  of  education  with  the  unworthy 
ambition  of  saving  money  for  the  taxpayers  by  reducing 
school  expenses.  While  there  should  always  be  rigid 
economy  in  the  expenditure  of  public  funds  for  any  pur- 
pose, it  is  very  rarely  the  case  that  less  money  should  be 
spent  for  public  education.  If  there  is  any  extravagance 
in  the  use  of  school  funds,  it  is  occasionally  shown  in  the 
erection  and  equipment  of  too  costly  buildings.  If  such 
extravagance  occurs,  it  is  never  right  to  ask  teachers  to 
pay  for  the  buildings  thus  erected  by  teaching  at  smaller 
salaries  or  for  a  shorter  school  year.  It  is  never  wise 
economy  to  employ  cheap  teachers  or  to  reduce  school 
opportunities  and  thereby  to  impair  the  rights  of  children 
to  secure  a  good  education.  In  the  majority  of  instances, 
however,  members  of  boards  of  education  are  willing  to 
provide  for  the  payment  of  as  liberal  salaries  as  the  financial 
condition  of  the  district  will  permit.  Usually  they  are 
ready  to  join  in  any  legitimate  movement  which  will  pro- 


132  THE   TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

vide  more  money  for  the  schools.  They  should  always 
be,  and  they  usually  are  citizens  whose  business  ability 
and  integrity  inspire  confidence  in  the  community,  and 
as  a  result  they  are  qualified  to  lead  in  securing  the  financial 
recognition  which  the  schools  deserve. 

In  some  communities  there  exist  conditions  which  make 
it  impossible  for  boards  of  education  to  pay  good  salaries. 
These  conditions  are  in  no  sense  the  fault  of  those  in  control 
of  the  schools.  Frequently  they  are  due  to  extravagance 
in  other  departments  of  public  service.  There  is  a  growing 
feeling  that  the  public  schools  will  never  be  certain  of  the 
financial  support  to  which  they  are  justly  entitled,  until 
laws  are  enacted  which  will  insure  that  a  definite  and  fixed 
proportion  of  all  moneys  raised  by  public  taxation  shall 
go  to  their  maintenance.  It  is  neither  wise  nor  just  to 
permit  a  board  composed  entirely  of  officials  representing 
other  departments  of  public  service  to  determine  the 
amount  of  money  to  be  used  by  the  schools.  If  boards 
with  the  power  of  making  distribution  of  public  funds  are 
deemed  necessary,  common  fairness  demands  that  the 
public  schools  which  constitute  the  most  important  public 
interest  shall  be  represented  on  such  boards.  No  cus- 
todians of  public  funds  have  a  better  record  for  economy 
and  honesty  in  the  use  of  funds  at  their  disposal  than 
boards  of  education.  Because  of  the  interests  which  they 
represent,  they  are  entitled  to  have  entire  control  of  the 
financial  management  of  the  schools,  including  the  levying 
of  taxes  for  their  support  as  well  as  the  expenditure  of  the 
money  produced  by  such  levy,  subject  only  to  such  re- 
strictions as  will  hold  them  to  strict  accountability  and 
guard  against  any  extravagance  or  dishonesty. 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS         133 

A  difficult  problem.  —  Even  when  sufficient  funds  are 
provided  for  the  payment  of  teachers'  salaries,  the  adjust- 
ment of  such  salaries  presents  one  of  the  most  difficult 
problems  which  boards  of  education  have  to  meet.  All 
who  have  had  experience  with  teachers  know  that  the 
difference  in  their  real  worth  is  much  greater  than  the 
difference  in  the  salaries  paid  them.  Some  teachers  are 
worth  their  weight  in  gold.  Others  belong  in  the  silver 
class.  Some  would  be  over-compensated,  if  paid  in  a 
leaden  currency.  Many  factors  enter  into  the  value  of  a 
teacher's  services.  Knowledge  is  important.  Ignorance 
is  never  a  valuable  commodity,  and  the  supply  is  always 
so  much  greater  than  the  demand  that  the  tendency  of 
prices  is  always  downward.  On  the  other  hand  there  is 
always  a  good  market  in  the  business  world  for  usable 
knowledge,  and  teachers  who  are  in  possession  of  a  large 
supply  of  such  knowledge  should  have  financial  recognition 
of  what  they  know.  To  teachers,  however,  ability  to  im- 
part knowledge  to  pupils  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
them  eager  to  know  and  willing  to  work  to  learn  is  of 
far  more  worth  than  the  knowledge  itself.  Such  ability 
should  have  much  greater  recognition  than  it  has  usually 
received  in  the  adjustment  of  salaries. 

This  ability  to  impart  knowledge  —  the  power  to  teach 
so  as  to  cause  another  to  know,  comes  in  a  large  measure 
with  experience.  Experience  which  shows  the  develop- 
ment of  such  ability  and  teaching  power  should,  therefore, 
be  a  large  factor  in  determining  increases  in  salaries.  Un- 
fortunately in  many  school  systems  salaries  are  increased 
with  experience,  regardless  of  the  results  shown  by  the 
experience.  Some  teachers  are  worth  much  more  each 


134  THE  TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

succeeding  year  because  of  the  mistakes  eliminated  and 
the  helpful  lessons  learned  in  the  preceding  years.  Others 
are  worth  less  each  succeeding  year,  because  of  the  mis- 
takes repeated  until  they  become  habitual  and  the  failure 
to  improve  by  the  lessons  which  should  have  been  learned 
by  experience.  To  recognize  the  experience  of  teachers 
in  a  fair,  just,  and  impartial  manner,  there  should,  there- 
fore, be  both  an  ascending  and  a  descending  salary  scale. 
For  all  teachers  who  are  so  able  and  so  eager  to  learn  in 
the  school  of  experience  that  they  show  marked  improve- 
ment each  year  in  their  work,  salaries  should  be  increased 
as  rapidly  as  financial  conditions  will  permit.  For  teachers 
who  are  so  indifferent  to  the  lessons  of  experience  as  to 
keep  on  repeating  their  mistakes  and  thereby  showing 
their  inability  to  improve,  salaries  should  be  decreased  so 
rapidly  as  to  insure  their  retirement  at  an  early  date. 

The  relative  worth  of  teachers.  —  In  determining  the 
value  of  the  experience  of  teachers  under  their  direction, 
superintendents  and  principals  upon  whom  boards  of 
education  should  rely  for  guidance  in  the  adjustment  of 
salaries,  find  a  most  difficult  and  delicate  duty  to  perform 
—  a  duty  which  cannot  be  evaded  without  injury  to  the 
schools  and  injustice  to  the  teachers,  and  which  cannot 
be  performed  by  the  adoption  of  a  fixed  rule  which  auto- 
matically determines  increase  in  salaries  regardless  of 
special  merit  possessed  by  superior  teachers.  Neither 
can  the  increasing  or  decreasing  value  of  teachers'  services 
be  definitely  determined  by  a  formal  "  rating  "  of  teaching 
and  by  recording  on  a  "  rating  blank"  the  per  cents  which 
some  educational  theorist  has  decided  are  indicative  of  the 
relative  value  of  the  desirable  characteristics  of  teachers. 


ENCOURAGEMENT   FOR   TEACHERS  135 

In  these  days  of  "  credits,"  "  measurements/7  and  "  stand- 
ardization/' there  is  danger  that  a  dead  and  deadening 
formalism  may  take  possession  of  the  schools  and  of  those 
who  are  responsible  for  their  administration.  By  means 
of  a  peculiar  and  prevalent  type  of  specious  reasoning 
based  upon  real  or  supposed  analogies  which  are  presumed 
to  exist  between  the  world  of  matter  and  the  realm  of  the 
spiritual,  conclusions  are  being  drawn  which  are  as  dan- 
gerous as  they  are  false.  It  is  comparatively  easy  to 
measure  the  market  value  of  work  of  a  material  nature 
and  to  know  whether  it  has  been  well  or  poorly  done. 
Frequently  such  work  is  done  by  the  "  piece  "  and  paid 
for  in  accordance  with  a  definite  schedule  as  "  piece  work." 
On  the  other  hand  it  is  always  exceedingly  difficult  to 
measure  the  value  of  the  services  of  a  teacher  who  knows 
what  to  teach  and  how  to  teach  it,  and  whose  life  is  conse- 
crated to  the  work  of  training  intellect  and  building  char- 
acter. Work  of  this  nature  cannot  be  done  by  the  "  piece  " 
and  then  inspected  and  paid  for  at  the  schedule  rate,  when 
found  to  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  plans  and  speci- 
fications. 

It  requires  rare  ability  in  a  superintendent  or  principal 
to  determine  with  fairness  and  justice  the  relative  worth 
of  teachers.  It  requires  still  rarer  courage  to  assume  the 
responsibility  of  advising  a  board  of  education  to  adopt  a 
salary  schedule  which  will  in  some  measure  at  least  give 
financial  recognition  of  such  relative  worth  and  thereby 
give  the  greatest  encouragement  to  the  most  deserving 
teachers.  In  the  midst  of  the  imperfections  in  which  we 
live  and  work  ideal  conditions  cannot  obtain.  An  ideal 
should  be  kept  constantly  in  mind,  however,  by  boards 


136  THE   TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

of  education  and  their  executive  officers  in  the  adjustment 
of  salaries.  This  ideal  will  include,  whenever  possible, 
the  payment  of  such  salaries  as  will  enable  teachers  to 
live  in  comfort  and  to  lay  aside  something  for  old  age,  and 
an  increase  in  salary  each  year  to  all  teachers  whose  devo- 
tion to  duty  and  growth  in  teaching  power  plainly  show 
that  they  are  worthy  of  the  increase.  It  would  seem  that 
it  ought  also  to  be  possible  to  make  a  definite  distinction 
between  the  kinds  of  service  rendered  by  different  types 
of  teachers  and  so  to  adjust  salaries  as  to  give  special  en- 
couragement to  teachers  of  special  merit. 

Every  one  knows,  however,  that  the  salaries  usually 
paid  to  teachers  in  our  public  schools  have  not  been  in 
the  past  and  are  not  now  sufficient  to  make  it  possible  for 
them  to  provide  for  the  future.  One  of  the  most  dis- 
couraging things  connected  with  the  life  of  teachers  is  the 
anxiety  with  which  they  look  forward  to  the  time  when, 
on  account  of  illness  or  old  age,  they  must  retire  from 
active  service.  Teachers  without  relatives  or  friends  upon 
whom  they  can  depend  for  assistance  in  their  declining 
years  cannot  escape  such  anxiety. 

A  retirement  fund.  —  Since  it  seems  impossible  under 
present  conditions  to  secure  sufficient  money  with  which 
to  pay  salaries  which  will  make  it  possible  for  teachers  to 
provide  for  their  future  needs,  it  is  highly  important  that 
provision  should  be  promptly  made  in  every  state,  as  has 
already  been  done  in  several  states,  for  a  teachers'  retire- 
ment fund  which  will  guarantee  to  all  teachers  who  have 
given  their  lives  to  the  service  of  the  state  at  least  a  reason- 
able degree  of  comfort  in  the  years  which  follow  their  re- 
tirement. Such  a  retirement  fund  is  not  a  gratuity  — 


ENCOURAGEMENT  FOR  TEACHERS         137 

"  something  given  freely  or  without  recompense/'  It  is 
not  a  charity  —  "  something  bestowed  gratuitously  on  the 
needy  or  the  suffering  for  their  relief."  It  is  simply  a  be- 
lated payment  of  the  interest  on  a  debt  long  past  due  from 
the  state  to  the  overworked  and  underpaid  teachers  who 
have  done  more  for  the  physical,  mental,  and  moral  wel- 
fare of  the  state  than  any  other  class  of  citizens  in  the 
state.  To  such  encouragement  all  worthy  teachers  are 
entitled. 

Appreciation  the  best  reward.  —  In  a  government  of  the 
people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people,  it  is  imperative  that 
all  the  people  be  given  an  education  such  as  our  public 
schools  were  founded  to  furnish.  Just  as  in  the  crisis 
through  which  civilization  has  been  passing,  the  world 
has  been  looking  to  the  United  States  for  help  to  win  the 
victory  for  democracy  in  its  war  against  autocracy,  so  in 
the  permanent  peace  which  it  is  hoped  will  follow  this  vic- 
tory, the  world  will  look  to  the  United  States  to  furnish 
the  ideals  of  education,  which  are  essential  to  the  life  of 
democracy.  Never  before  in  the  history  of  our  nation 
have  teachers  in  our  public  schools  faced  such  opportuni- 
ties for  service,  or  been  called  upon  to  assume  such  responsi- 
bilities for  results  as  at  the  present  time.  In  their  difficult 
work  of  training  the  youth  of  America  for  citizenship  in  a 
world  democracy,  they  need  all  the  encouragement  that 
can  come  to  them  from  the  loyal  and  liberal  support  of 
united  and  appreciative  patrons.  Without  such  en- 
couragement, failure  is  inevitable.  With  such  encourage- 
ment, success  is  assured. 


X 

RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS 

THE  public  schools  are  the  schools  of  all  the  people, 
who  with  few  exceptions  give  them  their  loyal 
support,  not  only  by  providing  money  raised  by 
taxation  for  their  maintenance,  but  also  by  according  to 
them  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  educational  opportunities 
which  are  thereby  furnished  to  their  children.  Soon  after 
their  establishment  it  became  evident  that  the  people 
could  not  be  directly  responsible  for  their  management. 
Laws  were,  therefore,  enacted  authorizing  and  requiring 
the  appointment  or  election  of  boards  of  education  to 
represent  the  people  in  providing  properly  equipped  school 
buildings  in  which  to  hold  the  schools,  and  in  electing 
teachers  to  take  charge  of  the  work.  As  the  school  attend- 
ance rapidly  increased  in  the  towns  and  cities,  boards  of 
education  readily  realized  that  they  could  not  efficiently 
represent  the  people  in  the  management  of  their  educational 
interests  without  an  executive  officer,  specially  equipped 
for  the  work,  who  could  devote  all  of  his  time  and  attention 
to  the  administration  of  the  schools  under  their  control. 
To  meet  this  need,  laws  were  enacted  authorizing  boards 
of  education  to  elect  a  superintendent  of  schools  to  advise 
the  board  as  to  the  best  educational  policy  to  be  adopted  by 
them  and  to  execute  for  the  board  such  policies  and  plans 
as  they  might  see  fit  to  adopt. 

In  many  instances,  the  election  of  a  superintendent  to 

138 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    139 

represent  the  board  of  education  in  an  advisory  capacity 
and  to  direct  the  work  of  the  schools  did  not,  for  a  time, 
meet  the  public  approval.  Many  people  doubted  the 
necessity  or  the  importance  of  the  new  office.  They  were 
unable  to  see  what  a  superintendent  of  schools  could  find 
to  do,  when  the  board  of  education  provided  the  material 
equipment  for  the  use  of  the  schools  and  elected  teachers 
to  teach  the  children.  The  original  attitude  of  the  public 
toward  the  office  of  superintendent  is  illustrated  by  the 
following  incident. 

One  type  of  superintendent.  —  A  group  of  children  were 
taking  advantage  of  a  recess  period  to  engage  in  playing  a 
game  of  school.  As  is  almost  always  true  in  such  a  game, 
they  were  presenting,  as  their  conception  of  the  school, 
the  worst  possible  conditions  of  disorder  and  the  worst 
examples  of  teaching  they  had  ever  known.  The  pupils 
were  all  idle,  indolent,  and  impudent.  Their  lessons  were 
unprepared  and  their  general  behavior  was  unbecoming  in 
every  way.  The  teacher  belonged  to  that  class,  unfortu- 
nately represented  in  too  many  schools,  who  are  afraid  their 
rights  will  not  be  properly  recognized,  and  who,  therefore, 
always  demand  more  of  their  pupils  than  they  are  either 
able  or  willing  to  give  in  return.  Like  other  heathen,  this 
teacher  used  many  vain  repetitions,  evidently  hoping  to 
be  heard  on  account  of  much  speaking.  With  such  pupils 
and  such  a  teacher,  the  type  of  school  represented  in  the 
game  can  be  readily  imagined. 

Some  of  the  parents  of  the  children  engaged  in  the  game 
happened  to  be  visiting  the  school  and  were  interested 
spectators  of  the  play.  They  noticed  one  of  the  boys, 
who  seemed  to  take  no  part  in  it  except  to  walk  up  and 


140  THE   TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

down  among  the  other  children  in  a  listless  sort  of  way. 
Occasionally  he  would  rest  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  some 
boy,  while  examining  with  a  look  of  indifference,  his  copy- 
book or  his  prepared  work  in  arithmetic  or  language. 
At  other  times,  he  would  glance  around  the  schoolroom 
in  a  mysterious  manner.  Finally  he  took  a  seat  near  the 
teacher's  desk  where  he  remained  stationary  through  the 
remainder  of  the  recitation,  at  the  close  of  which  he  bade 
the  teacher  good-by  and  retired  from  the  busy  scene. 
His  strange  actions  aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  interested 
visitors,  one  of  whom  inquired  who  this  mysterious  per- 
sonage might  be,  and  why  he  did  not  take  a  more  definite 
and  active  part  in  the  game.  Instantly  the  children 
responded:  "  Oh !  He  is  not  expected  to  do  anything; 
he  is  the  superintendent." 

It  is  possible  that  this  reply  may  represent  the  opinion 
still  held  by  a  few  uninformed  and  unintelligent  individuals. 
It  is  also  possible  that  there  may  still  be  found  an  occasional 
so-called  superintendent  who  merits  the  description  indi- 
cated in  the  reply.  It  is  fortunately  true,  however,  that 
such  a  superintendent  is  rare  in  these  days  of  educational 
progress. 

A  more  common  type.  —  In  the  great  majority  of  in- 
stances the  superintendent  of  public  schools  is  now  held 
in  the  highest  regard  by  all  the  best  people  who  live  in  the 
district  which  he  serves.  He  is  recognized  as  a  large  factor 
not  only  in  the  successful  management  of  the  schools  but 
also  in  the  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  community.  He 
is  called  upon  to  assume  grave  responsibility  in  initiating 
and  executing  educational  policies.  Intelligent  people  no 
longer  think  of  him  as  an  impractical  theorist,  nor  sneer- 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    141 

ingly  refer  to  him  as  a  man  who  may  know  what  is  in 
books  but  who  is  ignorant  of  business  affairs  and  devoid 
of  common  sense.  Of  no  other  public  servant  is  more 
required  in  knowledge,  tact,  skill,  judgment,  and  courage. 
Instead  of  not  being  expected  to  do  anything,  he  is  required 
to  have  some  part  in  doing  almost  everything.  He  is 
usually  the  busiest  man  in  the  community. 

To-day  competent  and  efficient  members  of  boards  of 
education  gladly  defer  to  the  judgment  of  a  competent  and 
efficient  superintendent.  They  always  loyally  support 
him  in  carrying  out  his  educational  policy.  Instead  of 
looking  upon  the  superintendent  as  a  mere  figurehead 
or  office  clerk,  they  expect  him  to  stand  for  something 
very  definite  in  the  community,  both  as  a  man  and  as  a 
superintendent.  They  believe  that  there  is  a  place  in  the 
educational  system  for  properly  constituted  authority  and 
that  this  authority  should  be  lodged  in  the  superintendent, 
who  should  be  held  to  a  strict  account  both  for  the  manner 
in  which  he  exercises  it  and  also  for  the  results  which  follow. 
This  authority  should  give  him  the  initiative  in  the  employ- 
ment of  all  teachers  and  in  framing  and  directing  the 
educational  policy  to  be  adopted  and  pursued. 

The  relation  of  superintendent  to  teachers.  —  In  the 
exercise  of  such  authority,  a  wise  superintendent  always 
seeks  the  advice  of  the  worthy  members  of  his  board  of 
education.  He  also  holds  frequent  conferences  with  his 
teachers.  In  all  his  relations  with  them  or  with  the  public, 
he  is  open-minded  and  absolutely  straightforward.  His 
every  act  and  every  word  bears  the  stamp  of  sincerity. 
He  never  uses  his  authority  in  an  arbitrary  manner.  He 
never  boasts  of  the  power  he  possesses. 


142  THE   TEACHER  AND    THE    SUPERINTENDENT 

It  is  in  this  authority,  vested  in  the  superintendent  and 
properly  exercised  by  him,  that  the  individual  teacher  finds 
the  best  guarantee  of  that  freedom  which  is  so  essential  to 
the  highest  success.  The  right  relation  of  superintendent 
to  teachers  is,  therefore,  the  relation  of  authority,  properly 
constituted  and  wisely  exercised,  to  individual  freedom, 
properly  conceived  and  wisely  used. 

Conflicting  forces  not  necessarily  antagonistic.  —  The 
principle  involved  in  this  relation  of  apparently  conflicting 
ideas  is  found  in  the  world  of  nature,  in  the  field  of  politics, 
and  even  in  the  domain  of  theology,  as  well  as  in  the  relation 
of  superintendent  to  teachers. 

In  the  world  of  nature,  the  centripetal  and  centrifugal 
forces  are  in  constant  operation.  Notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  direction  of  one  of  these  forces  is  toward 
the  center  and  of  the  other  from  the  center,  they  are  both 
so  perfect  in  their  action  that  perfect  results  necessarily 
follow. 

In  the  field  of  politics,  there  always  has  been,  is  now,  and 
always  will  be  a  difference  of  opinion  between  the  followers 
of  Alexander  Hamilton,  the  great  representative  of  national 
authority  as  embodied  in  a  strong  centralized  government, 
and  the  followers  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  great  representa- 
tive of  the  freedom  of  the  individual,  who  is  subject  to  the 
government.  To-day,  however,  no  one  but  an  unreasonable 
partisan  fails  to  see  something  of  good  in  the  political  creeds 
of  both  Hamilton  and  Jefferson.  A  few  times  in  our  history 
as  a  nation  we  have  reached  high  tide  under  the  adminis- 
tration of  a  great  soul  who  was  competent  to  appreciate 
fully  the  good  in  both  theories  of  government.  Under 
the  immortal  Lincoln,  a  terrible  strife  of  four  years  in  our 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    143 

nation  was  so  guided  and  controlled  that,  when  the  end 
finally  came,  the  world  recognized,  as  never  before,  the 
majesty  and  authority  of  our  government,  and  yet,  at  the 
same  time,  the  world  understood  as  never  before,  the  real 
significance  of  individual  freedom  for  all,  and  the  real 
meaning  of  the  phrase  —  government  of  the  people,  by 
the  people,  for  the  people. 

In  the  domain  of  theology  many  sermons  have  been 
preached,  many  volumes  have  been  printed,  and  many 
discussions  have  been  held,  in  a  vain  attempt  to  explain 
away  the  apparent  conflict  between  God's  sovereignty  and 
man's  free  agency,  by  an  0z^-emphasis  of  the  one  and  an 
zmder-emphasis  of  the  other.  To  the  ordinary  layman, 
however,  the  best  explanation  yet  proposed  for  the  diffi- 
culties connected  with  the  question  is  found  in  the  old 
colored  man's  wise  observation  that  he  had  never  "  heard 
tell  of  anybody's  bein'  'lected  to  anything  'cept  when  he 
was  "a  candidate" 

Just  as  there  can  never  be  any  harmful  results  in  the 
world  of  nature  from  the  action  of  the  apparently  con- 
flicting centripetal  and  centrifugal  forces,  neither  of  which 
can  ever  trespass  upon  the  domain  of  the  other,  so  no 
harmful  results  can  ever  follow  in  school  administration, 
if  such  relation  be  sustained  between  the  superintendent's 
authority  and  the  teacher's  freedom  as  will  not  permit  either 
to  trespass  upon  the  domain  of  the  other.  Just  as  authority 
is  strengthened  and  freedom  is  made  more  secure  by  a 
proper  recognition  and  application  of  the  two  ideas  em- 
bodied in  the  two  apparently  conflicting  theories  of  govern- 
ment, so,  in  school  administration,  the  authority  of  the 
superintendent  is  strengthened  and  the  freedom  of  the 


144      THE  TEACHER  AND  THE  SUPERINTENDENT 

teacher  is  made  more  secure  by  a  proper  recognition  and 
application  of  the  two  ideas  embodied  in  the  apparently 
conflicting  theories  of  the  authority  of  the  superintendent 
to  plan  and  to  direct  and  the  freedom  of  the  teacher  to 
carry  out  the  proposed  plans  and  to  follow  the  given  direc- 
tions. Just  as  God's  sovereignty,  when  properly  com- 
prehended, in  no  sense  interferes  with  the  intelligent  use 
of  a  rational  individual's  freedom  of  choice  to  work  out  his 
own  salvation,  even  if  it  be  with  fear  and  trembling,  so  the 
superintendent's  authority,  when  properly  constituted  and 
wisely  exercised,  in  no  sense  interferes  with  the  intelligent 
use  of  a  sensible  teacher's  freedom  of  choice  to  teach  in 
such  a  way  and  by  the  use  of  such  methods  as  are  best 
adapted  to  her  individual  characteristics  and  as  are  best 
suited  to  the  needs  of  her  school. 

Powers  and  duties  of  superintendents.  —  The  authority 
of  the  superintendent,  however,  may  be  unwisely  used  in 
planning  and  executing  such  a  close  and  rigid  organization 
and  classification  of  the  schools  as  will  seriously  interfere 
with  the  largest  growth  and  the  highest  development  of  the 
individual  pupils  and  with  the  fullest  success  of  the  indi- 
vidual teachers  in  their  work  of  instruction.  In  the  earlier 
days  of  supervision,  this  was  possibly  the  tendency.  But 
at  present  much  of  the  criticism  directed  against  the 
organization  and  classification  of  the  schools  is  without 
reason  or  excuse  and  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  critics 
presume  that  conditions  exist  in  reality,  which  have  no 
existence  except  in  their  own  distorted  imaginations. 
Some  of  the  severest  critics  of  present  day  school  admin- 
istration waste  their  time  and  exhaust  their  energy  in 
creating,  arresting,  indicting,  prosecuting,  condemning, 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    145 

sentencing,  and  punishing  large  numbers  of  men  of  straw 
with  whom  they  have  associated  so  long  as  to  render  them 
in  a  large  measure  oblivious  to  what  is  being  done  in  the 
world  of  reality  to  correct  the  defects  against  which  they  so 
loudly  declaim. 

In  the  great  majority  of  instances,  the  organization  of 
schools  into  classes  of  reasonable  size,  as  such  organization 
usually  exists  at  the  present  time,  not  only  secures  the 
greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number,  but  also  serves  the 
highest  interests  of  the  individual  pupil.  It  is  highly 
important  that  classes  of  sufficient  size  be  maintained  in 
the  organization  of  schools  to  insure  the  proper  class  spirit 
and  to  secure  the  benefits  which  result  from  the  enthusiasm 
of  numbers.  The  claim  sometimes  made  that,  in  order 
to  reach  the  individual  child,  the  teacher  must  at  all  times 
deal  directly  with  the  individual,  is  not  in  accord  with  the 
teachings  of  experience.  There  are  many  times  when 
the  individual  is  best  reached  through  the  class.  While 
too  many  pupils  to  a  teacher  necessarily  leads  to  a  neglect 
of  the  individual,  on  the  other  hand,  too  few  pupils  to  a 
teacher  just  as  certainly  works  harm  to  the  individual 
because  of  the  lack  of  interest  of  both  pupil  and  teacher, 
which  is  certain  to  result.  In  fact  all  experience  indorses 
and  confirms  the  following  statement  quoted  from  the 
Report  of  the  Committee  of  Twelve  on  Rural  Schools : 

"When  we  consider  the  various  elements  that  enter  into  a  good 
education  and  especially  training  for  social  activities,  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  a  very  small  school  is  almost  necessarily  a  very 
poor  school." 

Because  of  the  recognition  of  the  truthfulness  of  the 
conclusion  stated  in  this  report,  "  that  a  very  small  school 

OUR   PUB.   S. 10 


146      THE  TEACHER  AND  THE  SUPERINTENDENT 

is  almost  necessarily  a  very  poor  school/7  thousands  of 
such  small  schools  have  been  abandoned  and,  throughout 
the  country,  wherever  the  physical  conditions  will  permit, 
rural  schools  are  being  rapidly  consolidated  or  centralized, 
in  order  that  they  may  be  better  organized  and  classified, 
and,  therefore,  be  better  fitted  to  serve  the  children  of  the 
rural  communities. 

Organizing  and  classifying.  —  One  of  the  important 
duties  of  a  superintendent  of  schools  is,  therefore,  the  proper 
exercise  of  his  authority  in  directing  such  an  organization 
and  classification  of  the  schools  under  his  supervision  as 
will  serve  the  best  interests  of  the  pupils.  In  the  exercise 
of  this  authority,  he  will  have,  in  working  out  the  matters 
of  detail,  the  loyal  support  of  all  teachers  who  are  worthy 
of  the  freedom  which  rightly  belongs  to  them. 

In  this  important  and  necessary  work,  neither  superin- 
tendents nor  teachers  can  afford  to  waste  any  time  in  the 
consideration  of  the  claims  made  by  a  few  visionary  the- 
orists that  there  is  no  longer  any  need  of  the  exercise  of  any 
authority  in  the  organization  and  classification  of  schools, 
and  that  both  pupils  and  teachers  should  be  given  absolute 
freedom  in  their  work.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  absolute 
freedom  in  the  world,  either  in  school  or  out  of  it.  Willing 
obedience  to  wholesome  authority  is  the  price  which  must 
always  be  paid  for  genuine  freedom. 

Just  as  the  citizen  who  most  readily  obeys  the  laws  of 
his  country  is  the  one  who  complains  the  least  about  the 
proper  exercise  of  rightly  constituted  authority,  so  the 
teacher  or  pupil  who  most  readily  responds  to  the  authority 
of  the  superintendent  is  the  one  who  complains  the  least 
about  the  wholesome  regulations  of  the  school.  Just  as 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    147 

the  individual  who  prates  the  most  about  the  interference 
of  authority  with  his  individual  freedom  is  not  infrequently 
the  anarchist  who  ought  to  be  in  jail,  so  the  teacher  or  pupil 
who  is  always  talking  about  individual  rights  and  always 
demanding  special  privileges  too  often  belongs  to  the  class 
who  have  mistaken  their  unfortunate  peculiarities  for 
strong  individuality  and  who  are  most  in  need  of  the  control 
and  direction  of  the  superintendent. 

Not  only  is  the  organization  of  schools  into  classes  of 
reasonable  size  desirable  from  an  educational  standpoint, 
but  such  organization  is  a  necessity  from  a  financial  stand- 
point. The  suggestion,  made  by  extremists  who  condemn 
all  organization  and  classification  and  who  fail  to  see  any 
good  in  class  spirit  or  class  enthusiasm,  that  "  one  teacher 
to  about  five  children  would  be  about  right,"  is  so  imprac- 
tical in  its  nature  and  so  impossible  of  execution  as  to 
render  it  unworthy  of  serious  consideration.  To  carry 
out  such  a  suggestion  would  necessitate  an  expenditure  of 
from  five  to  eight  times  the  amount  of  money  now  paid 
for  teachers'  salaries,  with  a  corresponding  increase  in  the 
cost  of  schoolrooms  and  equipment.  The  impossibility 
of  realizing  such  an  ideal,  even  if  it  were  worthy  of  realiza- 
tion, will  be  evident  to  any  one  who  will  compute  the  cost 
of  such  realization  in  his  district,  village,  town,  city,  or 
state. 

It  is  plainly  evident  that  harmful  results  must  also  follow 
an  unwise  use  or  abuse  of  authority,  should  the  superintend- 
ent demand  a  too  rigid  adherence  to  the  course  of  study 
prescribed  for  the  guidance  of  teachers  in  directing  the 
work  of  their  pupils.  It  is  often  claimed  by  the  critics  of 
the  public  schools  that  teachers  are  not  allowed  any  free- 


148  THE    TEACHER  AND    THE    SUPERINTENDENT 

dom  in  the  use  of  the  course  of  study ;  that  all  pupils  in 
the  same  grade  in  all  of  the  schools,  regardless  of  conditions, 
are  compelled  to  be  at  the  same  place  in  the  study  of  the 
same  subject  on  the  same  day ;  that  all  classes  of  the  same 
grade  must  do  exactly  the  same  amount  of  work  in  a  speci- 
fied time,  whatever  their  abilities  may  be;  that  teachers 
of  ten-talent,  five-talent,  and  one-talent  schools  must  all 
render  the  same  account  of  their  stewardship;  and  that 
as  a  result  not  only  individual  pupils,  but  entire  classes  of 
pupils,  are  either  stretched  or  contracted  to  meet  the 
absolutely  unchangeable  demands  of  an  absolutely  fixed 
course  of  study.  In  the  great  majority  of  instances  inves- 
tigation will  prove  the  entire  absence  of  any  foundation 
for  the  existence  of  such  criticism.  As  a  rule  teachers 
whose  judgment  is  worthy  of  consideration  are  not  only 
consulted  in  the  preparation  of  the  course  of  study  which  is 
to  serve  as  their  guide,  but  they  are  also  given  a  large 
amount  of  liberty  in  so  adapting  the  course  as  to  meet 
the  varying  conditions  and  needs  of  the  schools  which 
they  teach. 

In  any  system  of  schools  there  are  usually  a  few  teachers 
who  need  very  definite  guidance,  both  in  what  they  do  and 
in  what  they  teach.  Unless  the  authority  of  the  superin- 
tendent and  his  assistants  is  exercised  in  giving  such  guid- 
ance, such  teachers  are  liable  either  to  miss  the  road  entirely, 
to  travel  in  the  wrong  direction,  or  to  go  off  on  every  path 
that  happens  to  look  inviting  to  them,  with  the  result 
that  their  pupils  fail  to  learn  with  any  degree  of  thorough- 
ness many  things  of  fundamental  importance  and  are, 
therefore,  unprepared  later  on  to  do  the  work  which  is 
necessary  to  be  done.  While  slavery  to  a  course  of  study 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    149 

is  to  be  greatly  deplored  and  the  abuse  of  authority  which 
leads  to  such  slavery  is  to  be  severely  condemned,  on  the 
other  hand  the  determined  attempt  of  any  teacher  to 
ignore  the  requirements  of  a  wisely  planned  course  of 
study  should  meet  with  prompt  and  positive  disapproval 
on  the  part  of  those  who  are  responsible  for  the  work  of 
the  schools. 

Courses  of  study.  —  Not  only  is  it  important  that 
teachers  recognize  the  value  of  a  wisely  planned  course 
of  study  and  willingly  strive  to  meet,  in  so  far  as  possible, 
its  requirements  as  they  apply  to  the  grades  or  classes 
which  they  teach,  but  it  is  also  equally  important  that 
they  possess  a  general  knowledge  of  the  requirements  of 
the  entire  course  and  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
work  to  be  done  not  only  in  their  own  grades  and  classes 
but  also  in  the  grades  and  classes  which  immediately  precede 
or  follow. 

An  efficient  superintendent  will,  therefore,  exercise  his 
authority  in  securing  a  reasonable  and  faithful  adherence 
to  the  course  of  study  by  individual  teachers  in  the  grades 
or  classes  which  they  teach  and  in  insisting  that  all  teachers 
shall  maintain  a  vital  interest  in  the  work  of  other  grades 
or  classes  with  which  their  own  work  is  so  intimately 
related.  Unwillingness  of  a  teacher  to  cooperate  with 
the  superintendent  in  securing  a  reasonable  and  faithful 
adherence  to  a  wisely  planned  course  of  study  is  an  indica- 
tion of  insubordination  which  cannot  be  excused  because 
of  any  false  claim  to  individual  freedom.  Inability  of  a 
teacher  so  to  cooperate  is  an  indication  of  inefficiency 
which  must  result  in  harm  to  the  schools  if  permitted  to 
continue. 


150     THE  TEACHER  AND  THE  SUPERINTENDENT 

The  use  and  abuse  of  textbook^.  —  Slavery  to  the  use 
of  textbooks  is  another  harmful  result  which  will  follow 
an  unwise  use  or  abuse  of  authority  by  a  superintendent 
who  unduly  magnifies  the  importance  of  knowledge  gained 
from  books  and  who  fails  to  understand  or  to  appreciate 
the  value  of  information  gained  by  intelligent  observation 
and  study  of  nature  and  life.  It  is  possible  to  follow  the 
textbook  so  closely  in  teaching  subjects  which  bear  an 
intimate  relation  to  nature  and  life,  that  the  child  will  fail 
to  realize  the  existence  of  such  a  relation.  As  a  result, 
the  child  will  form  the  habit  of  memorizing  and  repeating 
in  parrot-like  manner  what  the  author  of  the  textbook  has 
recorded,  with  no  thought  of  making  any  observations  or 
of  conducting  any  investigations  of  his  own.  Under  such 
teaching  it  is  possible  for  pupils  of  certain  types  to  go 
through  school  without  discovering  that  there  are  many 
things  worth  knowing,  which  must  be  learned  outside  of 
textbooks.  The  following  outline  of  an  incident,  related 
a  few  years  ago  by  William  Hawley  Smith  to  a  small 
group  of  friends  who  were  discussing  textbook  teaching,  will 
serve  to  illustrate  the  dangers  of  overdoing  it. 

Shortly  after  this  noted  author  and  lecturer  had  delivered 
one  of  his  stirring  addresses  on  education,  a  young  principal 
of  a  village  school,  who  had  heard  the  address  and  who  was 
evidently  much  impressed  with  its  earnest  appeal  for  a 
broader  recognition  of  the  varied  capacities  of  children, 
met  Mr.  Smith  on  the  train  and,  after  introducing  himself, 
related  his  experience  in  substance  as  follows : 

Your  lecture  convinced  me  that  I  was  adhering  too  closely  to  the 
subject  matter  of  the  textbooks,  and  as  a  result  almost  entirely 
neglecting  the  training  of  the  powers  of  observation  possessed  by  the 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    151 

children.  I  returned  to  my  school  determined  to  reform  my  methods 
of  teaching  so  that  the  pupils  in  my  classes  would  have  their  attention 
directed  daily  to  matters  of  interest  outside  of  books.  My  school  is 
located  in  a  village  surrounded  by  a  farming  community,  whose  chief 
product  is  corn,  thousands  of  bushels  of  which  are  stored  in  cribs 
not  far  from  the  schoolhouse.  This  corn  attracts  rats  in  large  num- 
bers and  I  thought  that,  if  there  is  any  object  in  the  world  with  which 
the  children  are  familiar,  that  object  is  certainly  a  rat.  I  closed 
the  recitation  in  the  textbook  sooner  than  usual,  in  order  to  have  a 
few  minutes  for  outside  work  in  the  form  of  an  observation  lesson, 
and  proceeded  to  begin  my  reform.  I  asked  the  children  how  many 
of  them  had  ever  seen  a  rat  and  at  once  had  a  showing  of  hands  which 
proved  that  all  were  familiar  with  the  object  about  which  the  observa- 
tion lesson  to  be  given  centered.  I  then  asked  a  second  question, 
which  I  predicted  all  could  not  immediately  answer  correctly,  inas- 
much as  a  correct  answer  would  require  close  observation,  which  I 
feared  they  were  not  all  in  the  habit  of  making.  This  second  question 
called  for  definite  information  relative  to  the  length  of  hair  on  a  rat's 
tail.  The  answers  varied,  from  a  small  fraction  of  an  inch  to  several 
inches.  The  "critical  moment"  had  arrived.  The  time  was  at  hand 
for  a  most  impressive  first  lesson  in  the  reform  movement  which 
would  take  the  thought  of  the  children  from  textbooks,  center  their 
attention  upon  the  object  under  consideration,  and  teach  them  the 
importance  of  making  observations  at  first  hand.  Calling  attention 
for  a  moment  to  the  great  difference  in  the  answers  to  the  question 
and  to  the  fact  that  there  could  be  but  one  correct  answer,  I  asked 
how  that  correct  answer  could  be  determined.  One  boy  immediately 
signified  by  uplifted  hand  a  readiness  to  respond.  He  was  asked 
to  do  so  and  replied, 

"Look  it  up  in  the  dictionary ! " 

While  it  is  possible  to  give  so  much  attention  to  text- 
book lessons  and  books  of  reference,  as  sources  of  informa- 
tion that  children  will  gain  the  false  impression  that  any 
question  in  dispute  can  be  settled  by  "  looking  it  up  " 
in  the  dictionary  or  encyclopedia,  it  is  also  possible  to  go 


152  THE   TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

to  the  other  extreme  of  spending  an  undue  amount  of  time 
in  so-called  observation  or  development  lessons  with  the 
result  that  children  will  become  incapable  of  sitting  down 
alone,  and,  unaided,  of  getting  from  books  the  lessons 
which  can  be  learned  from  no  other  source.  While  the 
training  of-  the  observation  is  exceedingly  important  in 
order  that  the  senses  may  be  cultivated  to  take  in  impres- 
sions from  the  outside,  it  is  equally  important  that  the 
power  to  get  thought  from  the  printed  page  be  developed 
in  order  that  the  recorded  results  of  the  investigations  and 
thinking  of  the  greatest  minds  of  the  world  may  be  under- 
stood and  appreciated. 

An  efficient  superintendent  will  wisely  exercise  a  sufficient 
amount  of  authority  in  directing  the  teaching  in  the  schools 
under  his  control  to  secure  a  well-balanced  training  for  the 
children  in  the  observation  of  nature,  the  study  of  objects, 
and  the  mastery  of  textbooks.  And  capable  teachers  will 
avoid  on  the  one  hand  the  extreme  which  confines  the 
lessons  to  the  textbook  and  on  the  other  hand  the  other 
extreme  which  substitutes  lectures  by  the  teacher  for  the 
study  of  lessons  in  the  textbook  which  have  been  carefully 
outlined  and  definitely  assigned  for  preparation  by  the 
pupils. 

Examinations  and  promotions.  —  In  the  earlier  years  of 
the  history  of  school  supervision  with  its  accompanying 
organization  and  classification  of  schools  and  adoption  of 
courses  of  study  dealing  in  a  large  measure  with  the  subject 
matter  of  textbooks,  there  was,  no  doubt,  a  tendency  to 
over  emphasize  the  importance  of  formal  examinations  as  a 
means  of  testing  the  products  of  teaching  and  of  determining 
the  fitness  of  pupils  for  promotion.  In  some  instances  ex- 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    153 

aminations  were  held  each  month  in  each  subject  and  the 
success  or  failure  of  pupils  at  the  end  of  the  term  or  year 
was  determined  wholly  and  finally  by  whether  or  not  their 
average  of  examination  grades  reached  a  certain  fixed  and 
inflexible  standard  determined  by  the  authority  of  the 
school  as  represented  by  its  superintendent,  who  prepared 
the  examination  questions  in  each  branch  of  study  in  all 
the  grades  of  the  school.  Under  such  a  system  of  promo- 
tions the  judgment  of  the  teacher  was  largely  ignored ; 
and  both  teachers  and  pupils  used  all  their  time  and  energy 
in  an  attempt  to  prepare  for  the  examination,  upon  whose 
results  depended  the  success  of  the  teacher  in  the  past  and 
the  hope  of  the  pupil  for  the  future.  To  pass  or  not  to  pass 
was  the  question  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  all.  Grades 
were  the  all-important  ends  and  aims  of  school  work. 

In  the  laudable  attempt  to  correct  this  extreme  use,  or 
rather  this  abuse  of  examinations,  it  is  possible  that  the 
opposite  extreme  has  been  reached  at  present  in  many 
schools  and  that,  as  a  result,  pupils  to-day,  instead  of 
suffering  the  wrongs  incident  to  too  many  and  too  technical 
examinations  upon  which  everything  is  made  to  depend, 
are  the  victims  of  no  examinations  at  all  and,  as  a  result, 
go  through  school  without  an  opportunity  to  receive  the 
educational  benefit  which  undoubtedly  comes  from  the 
written  examination  properly  conducted  as  a  test  of  knowl- 
edge. Under  the  old  regime,  teachers  taught  and  pupils 
prepared  their  lessons  with  the  nightmare  of  the  final 
examination  constantly  in  mind.  They  drilled  and 
crammed,  in  the  hope  that  a  passing  grade  might  be  secured, 
and  with  the  feeling  that  failure  to  pass  meant  disgrace. 
Under  the  new  regime,  pupils  prepare  for  a  passing  grade 


154  THE   TEACHER  AND   THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

in  the  passing  recitation,  in  the  hope  that  no  final  examina- 
tion will  ever  test  their  understanding  of  a  subject  once 
recited,  or  their  retentive  power  in  being  able  to  recall 
important  fundamental  facts  and  principles,  and  with  the 
feeling  that  to  escape  an  examination  is  indeed  a  high 
honor. 

While  it  is  wrong  in  both  theory  and  practice  to  give  no 
consideration,  in  determining  the  standing  and  promotion  of 
pupils,  to  their  work  in  the  daily  recitation,  on  the  other 
hand,  to  make  the  marks  given  by  the  teacher  in  the  daily 
recitation  the  one  factor  in  determining  such  standing  and 
promotion,  and  to  excuse  all  pupils  who  recite  well  day  by 
day  from  all  formal  tests,  constitute  a  policy  which,  although 
both,  general  and  popular,  may  well  be  questioned.  There 
are  good  reasons  to  believe  that  pupils  who  really  do  well 
in  the  daily  recitation  should  be  glad  of  an  opportunity 
to  prove  their  worth  in  a  fair  examination,  conducted  in 
such  a  manner,  and  with  questions  of  such  a  nature,  as 
to  constitute  a  welcome  test  instead  of  a  dreaded  tempta- 
tion, as  has  too  often  been  the  case  in  the  past  when  exami- 
nations were  made  up  of  questions  which  tested  the  memory 
alone  or  which  were  prepared  with  the  purpose  of  "  catch- 
ing "  the  unwary  or  frightening  the  timid.  It  is  certainly 
unreasonable,  unfair,  and  unjust  to  ignore  the  judgment  of 
teachers  in  estimating  the  standing  and  in  determining 
the  promotion  of  pupils.  But  to  make  teachers  the  sole 
judges  of  such  standing  and  promotion  is  to  impose  upon 
them  a  responsibility  from  which  they  may  well  shrink. 
The  better  the  judgment  of  teachers  the  more  anxious 
they  are  to  have  their  judgment  supplemented  by  the 
judgment  of  the  principal  or  superintendent,  based  upon  a 


RELATION  OF  SUPERINTENDENT  TO  TEACHERS    155 

fair  test  of  their  work  by  means  of  a  fair  examination  of 
their  pupils. 

A  superintendent  has  abundant  justification  for  exercis- 
ing his  authority  in  submitting  pupils  to  fair  and  reasonable 
examinations  at  such  times  and  under  such  circumstances 
as  he  may  deem  wise,  with  the  purpose  of  testing  both  the 
knowledge  of  the  pupils  and  the  ability  of  teachers  in 
imparting  knowledge,  and  in  using  the  results  of  such 
examinations  in  connection  with  the  estimates  of  the 
teachers  in  marking  the  standing,  and  in  determining  the 
promotion  of  pupils.  Well-taught  pupils  and  capable 
teachers  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  exercise  of  such 
authority  and  will  gladly  respond  to  such  a  test. 

Cooperation.  — The  relation  of  superintendent  to  teach- 
ers should  be  constantly  characterized  by  the  exercise  of 
mutual  sympathy  in  the  work  of  the  school.  As  a  rule, 
and  there  are  few  if  any  exceptions  to  this  rule,  the  super- 
intendent should  have  had  actual  experience  as  a  teacher 
and  thereby  know  at  first  hand  the  difficulties  which  beset 
the  pathway  of  the  teacher.  It  is  only  by  means  of  such 
experience  that  genuine  sympathy  for  the  teacher  is  born. 
No  amount  of  training  in  the  theory  of  education  or  of  the 
study  of  ideal  school  administration  can  take  the  place  of 
this  experience.  A  superintendent  without  it  is  in  constant 
danger  of  assuming,  perhaps  unconsciously  to  himself,  but 
nevertheless,  obviously  to  all  but  himself,  the  attitude  of 
an  unsympathetic  commander  who  demands  that  his 
teachers  shall  do  what  he  orders,  rather  than  that  of  a 
sympathetic  leader  who  inspires  them  to  follow  his  leader- 
ship. 

A  superintendent  who  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  with- 


156  THE    TEACHER  AND    THE    SUPERINTENDENT 

out  experience  as  a  teacher,  can  best  show  his  wisdom 
and  most  readily  gain  the  sympathy  of  his  teachers  by 
manifesting  a  willingness  to  learn  from  them  the  lessons 
which  they  have  learned  by  experience.  Were  it  possible 
for  teachers  to  know  from  experience  the  difficulties  which 
so  often  confront  the  superintendent,  they  would  be  better 
prepared  to  sympathize  with  him  in  his  work  and  would 
be  less  apt  to  criticize  his  actions.  Generally,  however, 
teachers  readily  respond  to  the  wishes  of  a  tactful,  sym- 
pathetic superintendent  who  treats  his  co-workers  with  that 
respect  and  consideration  which  always  characterize  the 
real  leader. 

Loyalty.  —  The  relation  of  superintendent  to  teachers 
should  also  always  be  characterized  by  unswerving  loyalty 
to  one  another  and  to  the  highest  and  best  interests  of  the 
schools  which  they  have  been  elected  to  serve.  All  claims 
to  respect  are  forfeited  by  the  superintendent  who  is  so 
lacking  in  frankness  and  courage  that  he  will  hesitate  to 
tell  the  teachers  themselves  of  their  incompetency  and 
failure  which  he  is  free  to  discuss  in  their  absence.  To 
recommend  teachers  for  dismissal  without  having  tried 
in  every  reasonable  way  to  help  tHem  to  succeed,  or  without 
having  notified  them  of  the  intended  recommendation  is 
unfair  and  unjust.  Teachers  who  are  given  due  considera- 
tion and  fair  treatment  by  a  frank,  courageous,  loyal  super- 
intendent, and  who  will  not  loyally  respond  to  all  the 
reasonable  requirements  made  by  him,  should  be  promptly 
notified  that  their  disloyalty  will  not  be  tolerated  and  that, 
if  persisted  in,  their  dismissal  will  certainly  follow.  In 
the  administration  of  either  a  government  or  a  school 
system  there  is  no  place  for  traitors. 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 


is? 


XI 
THE    POWER   OF    SENTIMENT 

WHEREVER  we  go,  under  whatever  conditions 
we  are  placed,  by  whatever  circumstances  we 
are  surrounded,  we  always  find  a  constant,  power- 
ful force  at  work,  molding  character,  directing  energy, 
stimulating  effort,  and  to  a  very  great  extent  guiding  and 
controlling  the  thoughts,  actions,  and  destinies  of  the  great 
masses  of  the  people.  This  force  we  call  public  sentiment. 
Power  of  public  sentiment.  —  History  is  largely  a  record 
of  what  has  been  accomplished  for  humanity  by  the  force 
of  this  public  sentiment.  Tyrannical  forms  of  government 
have  crumbled  into  dust  and  upon  their  ruins  have  been 
built  up  governments  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the 
people,  largely  as  the  result  of  a  public  sentiment  which 
demanded  that  human  rights  should  be  recognized  and 
human  freedom  guaranteed.  Political  parties  have  gone 
down  to  defeat  and  in  their  stead  other  parties  have  arisen 
only  to  meet  the  same  fate  when  they  have  failed  either 
to  recognize  or  to  obey  public  sentiment.  Corrupt  forms 
of  religion,  based  upon  superstition  and  hatred,  have 
been  compelled  to  die  as  they  should.  In  their  place  has 
come  the  religion  of  faith  in  God  and  love  for  men,  the 
outgrowth  of  a  sentiment  born  of  and  developed  by  Him 
who  spake  as  never  man  spake. 

Public  sentiment  and  law.  —  In  current  events  —  history 
in  the  making  —  can  constantly  be  seen  the  results  of  the 

159 


l6o  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

influence  of  this  same  public  sentiment.  In  some  com- 
munities there  is  a  well-developed  public  sentiment  which 
sanctions  the  laws  enacted  for  their  government  and 
demands  that  these  laws  be  rigidly  enforced  both  in  letter 
and  in  spirit.  In  other  communities  similar  laws  are 
ignored  or  openly  and  flagrantly  violated,  because  the 
public  sentiment  is  either  indifferent  to  law  enforcement  or 
openly  defiant  against  the  restrictions  which  these  laws 
impose.  Laws  which  are  not  the  crystallization  of  an 
intelligent  public  sentiment  and  which  do  not,  therefore, 
meet  the  approval  of  a  majority  of  the  people  to  whom  they 
apply,  are  usually  dead  letters  upon  the  statute  books. 
Such  laws  are  really  a  menace  to  the  welfare  of  any  govern- 
ment in  so  far  as  they  at  least  indirectly  lower  respect 
for  authority  and  teach  disobedience  to  law. 

The  fundamental  principle  in  law  enactment  and  enforce- 
ment, that  law  should  represent  intelligent  public  sentiment 
to  make  it  enforceable,  is  now  quite  generally  recognized 
in  legislating  upon  all  questions  relating  to  the  public 
welfare,  such  as  sanitation  and  the  prevention  and  cure  of 
disease.  Even  in  legislating  upon  great  moral  issues,  such 
as  temperance,  the  same  principle  is  generally  recognized. 

Public  sentiment  and  education.  —  In  the  development 
of  such  public  sentiment  education  is  the  largest  factor. 
In  the  work  of  educating  public  sentiment  to  favor  measures 
of  health  and  to  oppose  the  evils  due  to  intemperance  the 
public  schools  have  been  a  mighty  influence.  For  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  the  teachers  in  these  schools  have  carefully 
instilled  into  the  minds  and  hearts  of  their  pupils  lessons  in 
physiology  with  special  reference  to  the  laws  of  health  and 
to  the  evil  effects  of  alcohol  and  narcotics  upon  the  human 


THE   POWER  OF   SENTIMENT  l6l 

system.  No  doubt,  some  of  this  teaching  has  been  un- 
scientific and  poorly  done.  But  the  beneficial  results  of  it 
are  to-day  everywhere  manifest  in  an  awakened  intelligence 
relating  to  both  individual  and  public  health  and  in  an 
aroused  conscience  on  the  temperance  question.  That  the 
two  questions  uppermost  in  the  public  mind  to-day  are 
those  of  sanitation  and  temperance  is  due  in  a  large  measure 
to  the  work  of  the  public  schools  in  training  a  new  generation 
of  citizens  who,  as  the  result  of  such  training,  think  in- 
telligently upon  questions  of  public  welfare  and  feel 
deeply  upon  questions  of  moral  significance. 

Some  well-intentioned  but  inconsiderate  people  think 
that  the  mere  passage  of  a  law  will  insure  the  immediate 
correction  of  a  wrong  or  a  sworn  allegiance  to  the  right. 
Such  people  seem  to  imagine  that  if  there  were  only  laws 
providing  for  piety  and  wealth,  we  should  all  awaken  some 
morning  both  righteous  and  rich,  without  any  effort  on 
our  own  part.  As  a  result  of  such  agitation,  without  the 
education  which  should  always  accompany  agitation  in  the 
interests  of  any  worthy  cause,  the  statute  books  of  all  the 
different  states  in  the  Union  and  of  the  Union,  itself,  are 
not  infrequently  encumbered  with  laws  which  have  no  good 
reason  for  existence. 

An  interesting  experiment  in  government.  —  There  is  a 
tradition  that,  at  one  time,  an  absolute  monarch  in  a 
moment  of  good-natured  indulgence  gave  to  his  subjects 
the  right  to  elect  a  legislature  to  enact  laws  for  the  public 
good.  In  this  grant  of  power  to  the  people  there  was  a 
distinct  provision  that  any  one  who  presented  a  bill  for 
consideration  with  the  purpose  of  having  it  enacted  into 
law  must  do  so  with  a  noose  around  his  neck.  In  the  event 

OUR  PUB.    S. II 


1 62  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

that  his  bill  became  a  law  and  proved  to  be  a  real  benefit 
to  the  people,  because  it  provided  for  a  public  need,  rep- 
resented intelligent  public  sentiment,  and  was,  therefore, 
capable  of  enforcement,  the  noose  would  at  once  be  re- 
moved and  the  lawmaker  be  given  his  full  freedom.  Should 
the  opposite  conditions  prevail,  however,  and  the  enacted 
law  prove  to  be  harmful  and  worthless  because  it  failed 
to  meet  a  real  need,  or  to  represent  real  public  sentiment, 
and,  therefore,  be  incapable  of  enforcement,  the  noose 
would  be  tightened  and  the  lawmaker  be  removed  from  the 
scene  of  action.  It  is  not  difficult  to  imagine  what  would 
happen  were  such  a  provision  in  force  in  our  state  and 
national  governments  at  the  present  time.  One  of  two 
results  would  certainly  follow  —  either  fewer  unnecessary 
and  harmful  laws  would  be  enacted  or  an  increasing  number 
of  legislators  who  are  responsible  for  such  laws  would 
suffer  the  penalty  provided  for  them. 

How  sentiment  influences  conduct.  —  Public  sentiment 
is  also  a  large  factor  in  determining  the  conduct  of  in- 
dividuals in  any  community.  Where  public  sentiment 
strongly  upholds  the  right  and  condemns  the  wrong,  it  is 
easy  to  do  right  and  to  avoid  wrong.  Where  public  senti- 
ment approves  acts  of  questionable  morality,  withholds 
its  disapproval  of  wrongdoing,  or  is  even  indifferent  to 
standards  of  conduct,  the  natural  tendency  of  all  who  come 
under  the  influence  of  such  sentiment  is  to  lower  their  ideals 
of  duty  and  to  become  careless  in  their  habits  of  living. 
Even  those  whose  consciences  will  not  permit  them  to 
surrender  to  untoward  influences  and  whose  wills  are 
strong  enough  to  withstand  the  force  of  a  degraded  public 
sentiment,  find  the  struggle  both  difficult  and  constant. 


THE   POWER    OF    SENTIMENT  163 

Intelligent  public  sentiment  is  a  powerful  influence  not 
only  in  the  enactment  of  needed  legislation  and  in  the 
enforcement  of  desirable  laws  in  the  community,  and  in 
making  it  easy  to  do  right  and  to  avoid  wrong  but  also  in 
acting  as  a  deterrent  to  wrongdoing  by  the  public  con- 
demnation which  it  visits  on  the  wrongdoer.  No  greater 
punishment  can  come  to  any  one  who  still  has  any  self- 
respect  or  any  regard  for  the  opinion  of  his  fellow  men 
than  the  knowledge  that  he  is  condemned  by  public  sen- 
timent righteously  indignant  because  of  some  offense 
committed  by  him.  The  disgrace  and  humiliation  con- 
nected with  such  condemnation  not  infrequently  result  in 
declining  health  and  sometimes  in  death  itself.  It  is, 
therefore,  exceedingly  important  that  all  who  are  in  any 
way  responsible  for  the  education  and  direction  of  public 
sentiment  should  exercise  great  care  in  order  that  no  in- 
justice be  done  to  any  one.  Misdirected  or  uncontrolled 
public  sentiment,  unwilling  to  wait  until  all  the  facts  are 
known  or  to  abide  by  the  decisions  of  the  courts,  in  moments 
of  passion,  sometimes  manifests  itself  in  the  acts  of  the 
lawless  mob  so  abhorrent  to  all  law-abiding  citizens. 

School  sentiment.  —  Just  as  public  sentiment  is  inti- 
mately related  to  the  life  and  welfare  of  a  community,  so 
school  sentiment  is  equally  intimately  related  to  the  life 
and  welfare  of  the  school.  In  community  life  the  conduct 
of  the  great  majority  of  the  citizens  is  neither  largely  in- 
fluenced nor  definitely  determined  by  laws  prescribing 
duties  and  penalties  for  the  violation  of  such  laws,  but  by 
public  sentiment  which  approves  some  acts  as  right  and 
disapproves  other  acts  as  wrong.  In  a  school  the  behavior 
of  the  great  majority  of  the  pupils  is  determined  not  by  the 


1 64  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

specific  rules  and  regulations  prescribed  by  the  teachers  or 
other  school  authorities  but  by  the  school  sentiment  which 
characterizes  the  school.  In  a  community  of  high  ideals 
of  life  and  living  and  a  strong  public  sentiment  for  right 
doing,  few  laws  are  needed  for  the  control  of  the  citizens. 
In  a  school  of  similar  character  few  rules  are  necessary  for 
the  direction  of  pupils.  In  a  community  of  low  ideals  and 
of  little  regard  for  properly  constituted  authority,  laws 
cannot  be  enforced.  In  a  school  of  low  ideals  of  obedience 
and  respectful  consideration  for  teachers,  rules  are  always 
a  dead  letter.  In  a  community  intelligent  public  sentiment 
is  largely  the  result  of  education.  School  sentiment  can  be 
developed  and  maintained  only  by  the  same  process.  In  a 
community  the  condemnation  of  an  indignant  public 
sentiment  is  a  powerful  factor  in  preventing  wrongdoing 
on  the  part  of  citizens.  In  a  school,  boys  and  girls  usually 
dread  the  condemnation  of  their  schoolmates  and,  as  a 
result,  are  often  kept  from  doing  wrong.  In  a  community 
misdirected  or  uncontrolled  public  sentiment  occasionally 
manifests  itself  in  lawless  acts  against  which  the  sense  of 
justice  of  all  good  citizens  protests  and  to  the  abolition  of 
which  the  efforts  of  all  good  citizens  are  constantly  directed. 
In  a  school  misdirected  or  hastily  formed  school  sentiment 
or  opinion,  unless  wisely  restrained  by  competent  teachers, 
may  occasionally  work  serious  injury  to  a  suspected  but 
innocent  pupil. 

Rules  of  school.  —  Teachers  who  understand  and  appre- 
ciate the  great  influence  which  school  sentiment  exerts  in 
the  discipline  and  work  of  the  school  place  little  dependence 
upon  rules  and  regulations.  They  strive  constantly  to 
create  and  maintain  such  a  sentiment  among  the  pupils 


THE   POWER   OF    SENTIMENT  165 

as  will  make  good  behavior  the  surest  means  of  securing 
the  good  opinion  of  their  schoolmates  and  the  approval 
of  their  teachers.  On  the  other  hand,  the  pupils  will  be 
made  to  feel  that  the  one  certain  punishment  resulting  from 
misbehavior  will  be  condemnation  by  their  schoolmates 
and  disapproval  by  their  teachers.  An  occasional  rule 
with  a  definite  punishment  for  its  transgression  may  be 
necessary  to  meet  some  special  offense  in  the  school  just 
as  a  few  laws  with  prescribed  penalties  for  their  violation 
are  needed  to  punish  the  crimes  and  misdemeanors  of  a  few 
individuals  in  society  who  are  not  amenable  to  the  demands 
of  public  sentiment. 

Occasionally  there  may  still  be  found  a  teacher  with  his 
code  of  rules  for  the  government  of  the  school,  but  for- 
tunately this  type  is  rapidly  becoming  extinct.  Within 
the  last  few  years,  however,  a  representative  of  this  dis- 
appearing race  called  at  the  office  of  a  state  superintendent 
of  public  instruction,  in  company  with  his  daughter,  who 
was  attempting  to  teach  a  district  school  in  the  county  in 
which  the  state  capital  was  located.  The  father  had  been  a 
teacher  himself  in  the  "  good  old  days  "  when  pupils 
were  informed  what  not  to  do  by  a  code  of  rules  posted 
in  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  schoolroom.  He  at  once 
stated  that  he  had  called  upon  the  state  superintendent  to 
ask  what  authority  a  board  of  education  had  in  administer- 
ing the  affairs  of  the  school.  He  was  informed  that  the 
board  had  full  authority  to  direct  the  schools  under  their 
control.  He  then  inquired  whether  or  not  it  was  the  duty 
of  the  board  to  make  rules  for  the  government  of  the  children 
in  school.  In  replying  to  this,  the  state  superintendent 
suggested  that,  under  ordinary  conditions,  very  few  rules, 


1 66  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

if  any,  are  necessary  or  desirable,  and  asked  the  father  to 
state  the  nature  of  the  difficulty  encountered  by  his  daughter 
in  teaching  the  school  and  what  action  he  thought  necessary 
on  the  part  of  the  board  of  education,  to  help  her  in  over- 
coming the  difficulty.  The  reply  was  that  his  daughter 
was  greatly  annoyed  by  whispering  in  school  and  that  he 
thought  the  board  should  make  a  rule  prohibiting  it.  To 
this  only  one  response  could  be  made,  viz.  that  such 
annoyances  as  whispering  cannot  be  regulated  by  rules. 
The  disappointment  which  this  response  gave  to  the 
visitors  was  plainly  manifest.  The  young  teacher  returned 
to  her  school,  perhaps  sadder,  certainly  no  wiser,  and 
doomed  to  the  inevitable  failure  which  must  come  to  any 
teacher  who  imagines  that  success  in  discipline  is  dependent 
upon  rules  which  prohibit  wrong  conduct  by  pupils. 

The  importance  of  a  strong  school  sentiment  is  evident 
to  all  teachers  who  have  sensible  theories  regarding  school 
discipline,  or  who  have  had  successful  experience  in  the 
management  of  a  real  school.  It  is  not,  therefore,  necessary 
to  discuss  at  length  the  necessity  of  cultivating  such  a 
sentiment  in  the  life  of  the  school.  It  is  important,  how- 
ever, that  careful  consideration  be  given  to  the  fundamental 
factors  which  enter  into  successful  school  management  and 
to  the  intimate  relation  which  the  creation  and  mainte- 
nance of  a  wholesome  school  sentiment  bear  to  the  success 
of  both  helpful  discipline  and  effective  teaching. 


XII 

SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND    REGULAR 
ATTENDANCE 

SINCE  no  school  can  hope  for  any  large  degree  of 
success  without  regular  and  prompt  attendance,  it 
is  imperative  that  this  necessary  factor  should 
receive  primary  attention.  Irregular  attendance  and 
habitual  tardiness  of  even  a  few  pupils  have  a  demoralizing 
effect  upon  the  entire  school.  Successful  teachers,  there- 
fore, always  strive  so  to  direct  the  sentiment  of  the  school 
that  regular  and  prompt  attendance  is  considered  an  honor 
not  only  to  the  individual  pupil  but  also  to  the  school  of 
which  he  is  a  part.  When  the  proper  school  sentiment 
exists,  inexcusable  absence  and  unnecessary  tardiness  are 
certain  to  meet  with  the  condemnation  of  the  school  whose 
pupils  have  a  just  pride  in  its  standing  and  rightfully 
resent  anything  which  injures  its  good  name. 

Rules  powerless  when  opposed  by  school  sentiment.  — 
In  securing  prompt  and  regular  attendance,  rules  are  of 
little  or  no  value,  while  school  sentiment  is  all  powerful. 
An  inspection  of  school  attendance  statistics  will  not  un- 
frequently  show  that  in  one  district  of  a  township  the 
percentage  of  the  enumeration  enrolled  and  the  percentage 
of  the  enrollment  in  regular  daily  attendance  are  unusually 
large,  with  a  correspondingly  small  number  of  cases  of 
tardiness.  In  another  district  of  the  same  township,  with 
precisely  the  same  physical  conditions,  exactly  opposite 

167 


1 68  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

conditions  prevail.  Sometimes  in  the  same  grade  of  the 
same  building  of  a  city  school,  one  room  will  have  an  almost 
perfect  attendance  record  with  little  or  no  tardiness; 
another  room  across  the  hall  will  keep  the  truant  officer 
busy  looking  after  unexcused  cases  of  absence  and  will  be 
constantly  annoyed  by  an  ever  increasing  number  of  cases 
of  tardiness.  The  marked  difference  in  results  achieved 
in  attendance  in  different  schools  in  country,  town,  or 
city  is  due  largely  to  the  difference  in  school  sentiment 
created  and  maintained  by  different  teachers.  One 
accurate  test  of  teaching  is  the  character  of  the  school 
sentiment  which  it  produces. 

The  value  of  regularity  and  promptness.  —  In  order  that 
a  wholesome  school  sentiment  may  be  developed  among  the 
pupils  with  reference  to  prompt  and  regular  attendance, 
it  is  imperative  that  their  teachers,  principals,  and  superin- 
tendents shall  have  positive  convictions  as  to  the  value  of 
promptness  and  regularity  in  the  life  of  all  who  are  to  hope 
to  succeed.  Irregular  attendance  and  a  large  amount  of  tar- 
diness should  be  looked  upon  as  the  two  things  most  detri- 
mental to  the  entire  school,  as  well  as  to  the  individual  pupil. 

With  the  united,  determined,  and  persistent  effort  of 
teachers,  and  those  who  direct  and  supervise  them,  school 
sentiment  can  be  so  molded  that,  in  a  short  time,  the  care- 
lessness and  indifference  of  pupils  in  regard  to  regular  and 
prompt  attendance  will  be  replaced  with  a  determination 
to  make  the  attendance  as  nearly  perfect  as  conditions  will 
permit  and  to  eliminate  in  so  far  as  possible  all  tardiness. 

A  careful  study  of  the  subject  of  attendance  and  tardiness 
will  convince  any  one  that  in  most  instances  the  irregular 
pupil  and  the  tardy  pupil  are  one  and  the  same;  that 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      169 


tardiness  is  almost  never  necessary;  that  the  habitually 
tardy  pupil  is  usually  the  one  who  lives  nearest  to  the  school, 
has  the  fewest  out-of-school  duties  to  perform  and,  there- 
fore, has  the  least  excuse  for  tardiness;  that  irregularity 
in  attendance  seldom  results  from  anything  except  the 
indifference  or  carelessness  of  children  or  parents;  and 
that  the  overwhelming  majority  of  pupils,  when  properly 
instructed  and  directed,  are  both  regular  and  prompt  in 
their  attendance  at  school. 

What  was  done  in  one  school.  —  As  a  practical  illustra- 
tion of  what  can  be  accomplished  in  a  few  months  by  the 
united  efforts  of  teachers  in  securing  regularity  in  attend- 
ance and  in  eliminating  tardiness,  the  following  brief 
summary  of  the  report  of  the  superintendent  of  schools 
in  a  town  located  in  one  of  the  north  central  states  is  here 
given : 


n 

w 

1 

ol 

w  " 

si 

!i 

MONTH 

gi 

0 

pi  fc 
w  o 

I 

gg 

gH 

B  H! 

g 

go4 

tj  W 

§  W 

1 

W< 

s  FH 

0 
W  J2! 

* 

* 

AH 

1° 

Sept  

832 

762 

732 

96 

31 

428 

Oct  

840 

808 

783 

97 

19 

535 

Nov  

835 

8l4 

794 

97-4 

14 

547 

Dec  

825 

801 

783 

97-7 

6 

577 

Jan  

845 

804 

778 

96.8 

i 

507 

Feb  

830 

784 

762 

97 

0 

490 

The  starting  point  of  the  reform  which  produced  the 
rather  remarkable  results  indicated  in  this  summary  was 
the  discovery  by  the  newly  elected  superintendent  that,  in 


170  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

the  high  school,  in  the  first  few  days  after  the  school 
opened,  there  had  been  several  cases  of  tardiness,  the 
majority  of  which  were  due  to  a  girl  who  lived  within  a 
square  of  the  high-school  building,  and  all  of  which  were 
unnecessary  and  inexcusable.  This  discovery  led  to  an 
investigation  which  revealed  that  the  school  sentiment 
was  at  such  a  low  ebb  that  many  pupils  were  utterly  in- 
different to  the  importance  of  prompt  and  regular  attend- 
ance upon  their  school  duties.  With  a  firm  belief  that  the 
future  success  of  the  school  depended  in  a  large  measure 
upon  the  elimination  of  this  indifference  by  means  of  the 
cultivation  of  a  wholesome  school  sentiment  in  favor  of 
prompt  and  regular  attendance,  the  teachers  and  superin- 
tendent united  in  a  determined  and  enthusiastic  effort  to 
bring  about  the  necessary  change.  By  a  little  tactful 
management  the  determination  and  enthusiasm  which 
characterized  this  effort  of  the  teachers  were  easily  im- 
parted to  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  children  and  with 
unanimity  of  sentiment  and  effort  among  pupils  and 
teachers,  excellent  results  naturally  followed.  Every  ef- 
fort was  made  to  encourage  promptness  and  to  concentrate 
sentiment  in  its  favor.  Every  room  was  closely  watched. 
The  pupils  soon  found  that  tardiness  was  in  bad  repute 
not  only  in  one  room  but  in  all  rooms.  The  frown  of  dis- 
approval certain  to  meet  any  one  who  came  late  and  thereby 
spoiled  the  record  of  his  room  became  a  large  factor  in  the 
elimination  of  tardiness.  The  simple  request  of  the  super- 
intendent that  the  pupils  who  were  tardy  the  previous 
day,  week,  or  month,  without  good  excuse,  should  stand 
before  the  school  was  looked  upon  as  a  punishment  to  be 
avoided  by  not  being  tardy. 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      iyi 

In  one  of  the  overcrowded  primary  rooms  enrolling 
eighty  pupils,  the  attendance,  with  the  exception  of  two 
boys,  was  excellent.  These  boys  seemed  to  care  for  nothing 
which  ordinarily  influences  the  conduct  of  children.  They 
were  very  irregular  in  their  attendance  and  quite  fre- 
quently tardy.  Although  the  excellent  teacher  in  charge 
of  the  school  had  put  forth  every  effort  to  change  their 
attitude  and  improve  their  attendance,  no  results  for  the 
better  were  manifest.  The  children  became  indignant, 
and  finally  one  day  at  noon,  a  little  six-year-old  came  into 
the  room  and  in  an  excited  manner  informed  the  teacher 
that  they  could  not  make  "  them  bad  boys  "  go  home.  The 
teacher,  not  understanding  what  was  meant,  inquired 
into  the  trouble  and  found  that  "  them  bad  boys  "  were  the 
two  irregular  pupils  who  had  been  waited  upon  by  a  very 
large  committee  of  their  classmates  who,  feeling  disgraced 
by  the  way  in  which  they  were  acting,  had  tried  to  make 
them  go  home. 

Relation  of  tardiness  and  attendance.  —  No  doubt  some 
readers  will  be  ready  to  say  at  this  point  that  while  the 
cultivation  of  such  a  school  sentiment  may  tend  to  reduce 
tardiness,  the  final  result  will  be  that  the  dread  of  being 
tardy  will  become  so  great  that  many  pupils  will  remain 
away  entirely  rather  than  come  to  school  a  few  minutes 
late.  While  this  may  occasionally  occur  in  a  school 
taught  by  a  teacher  who  has  not  the  skill  to  control  the 
sentiment  of  the  school,  such  instances  are  exceedingly  rare. 
In  the  school  referred  to  in  this  discussion,  out  of  an  enroll- 
ment of  nearly  nine  hundred  children,  only  ten  cases  of 
this  kind  occurred  in  the  five  months  included  in  the  sum- 
marized report  found  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  and 


172  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

these  in  the  first  month  or  two.  In  the  last  two  months  only 
one  case  occurred.  The  universal  testimony  of  all  the 
teachers  was  that  as  tardiness  decreased  the  attendance 
grew  better.  Without  a  single  exception,  the  rooms  having 
the  least  tardiness  in  any  one  of  the  five  months  had  the 
largest  per  cent  of  attendance  and  the  largest  number  of  pupils 
neither  absent  nor  tardy.  The  summary  shows  the  same 
results  for  the  entire  school.  It  will  be  noted  that  in 
September,  with  a  per  cent  of  attendance  of  96  and  with 
428  pupils  neither  absent  nor  tardy,  there  were  31  cases  of 
tardiness ;  in  October,  with  the  per  cent  of  attendance  97, 
and  with  535  pupils  neither  absent  nor  tardy,  the  number 
of  cases  of  tardiness  was  reduced  to  19 ;  in  November  the 
number  of  cases  of  tardiness  was  still  further  reduced  to 
15,  while  the  per  cent  of  attendance  was  97.4,  and  the 
number  neither  absent  nor  tardy  was  547 ;  in  December 
there  were  only  6  cases  of  tardiness,  with  the  per  cent  of 
attendance  increased  to  97.7,  and  the  number  neither  absent 
nor  tardy  577.  The  decrease  in  the  per  cent  of  attendance 
and  in  the  number  neither  absent  nor  tardy  in  January, 
when  there  was  only  one  case  of  tardiness,  and  again  in 
February,  when  there  was  not  a  single  case  of  tardiness  in 
the  entire  school,  was  due  entirely  to  sickness,  including 
several  cases  of  measles  and  a  few  cases  of  scarlet  fever, 
which  compelled  a  number  of  the  most  regular  and  punctual 
pupils  to  remain  at  home. 

While  each  teacher  must,  in  a  large  measure,  be  respon- 
sible for  the  sentiment  and  discipline  in  her  own  room, 
it  is  the  duty,  and  should  be  the  pleasure,  of  every  principal 
and  superintendent  to  aid  the  teacher  in  every  way  possible 
in  the  cultivation  of  a  proper  school  sentiment  and  in  the 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      173 

right  discipline  of  the  school.     There  are  at  least  two  im- 
portant ways  in  which  such  aid  can  be  given. 

In  nearly  every  school  there  are  a  few  children,  just  as 
in  nearly  every  community  there  are  a  few  men  and  women, 
who  care  nothing  for  the  good  opinion  of  those  with  whom 
they  associate.  Such  children  are  indifferent  to  any  school 
sentiment,  however  wholesome  and  uplifting  it  may  be. 
In  dealing  with  at  least  some  of  these  pupils,  the  teacher  has 
a  right  to  expect  that  the  principal  or  superintendent  shall 
give  sympathetic  advice  and  occasionally  a  helping  hand. 

The  superintendent  or  principal  can  also  be  of  great 
assistance  to  teachers  in  creating  and  maintaining  proper 
school  sentiment  and  right  school  discipline  by  friendly 
conferences  with  parents  whose  children  may  not  be  living 
up  to  their  best  in  their  school  life.  In  such  conferences 
parents  should  be  treated  with  all  the  respect  which  is 
their  due,  but  also  with  a  firmness  which  will  command  their 
respect  for  the  school  and  its  teachers.  Usually  parents 
will  readily  respond  to  the  courteous  appeals  of  teachers  to 
help  them  in  making  the  school  a  success  by  sending  their 
children  to  school  regularly  and  on  time.  In  a  few  in- 
stances, however,  parents  can  be  found  who  think  that,  if 
pupils  prepare  their  lessons  well,  and  are  in  school,  espe- 
cially the  high  school,  in  time  to  recite,  all  reasonable 
requirements  have  been  met.  Such  parents  need  to  be 
shown  that  the  preparation  and  recital  of  lessons,  while 
exceedingly  important,  do  not  include  all  of  school  life 
and  that  the  good  of  the  school  as  a  whole,  as  well  as  the 
welfare  of  the  individual  pupil  in  forming  right  habits  of 
conduct,  requires  that  all  pupils  shall  cheerfully  respond 
to  all  reasonable  requirements  of  the  school. 


174  SCHOOL    SENTIMENT 

The  school  records.  —  Weekly  and  monthly  reports  of 
the  whole  school,  in  which  the  attendance,  tardiness,  and 
other  important  matters  of  interest  in  each  room  are  given 
prominence,  should  be  made  out  carefully,  regularly,  and 
promptly  by  the  superintendent  or  principal.  These 
reports  should  be  printed  on  a  duplicating  machine,  which 
should  be  a  part  of  the  equipment  of  every  school,  and  a 
copy  placed  in  each  room,  where  pupils  and  teachers  can 
see  it  and  thus  be  enabled  not  only  to  note  the  record  made 
by  their  own  school  but  also  to  compare  this  record  with 
that  of  other  schools.  By  tactful  management  of  the 
teachers  of  the  different  schools,  a  helpful  rivalry  in  securing 
regular  attendance  and  in  eliminating  tardiness  can  be 
created  in  all  the  schools. 

The  teacher  as  a  model.  —  While  no  definite  rules  can 
be  prescribed  for  the  cultivation  of  a  wholesome  school 
sentiment  in  favor  of  regularity  and  promptness,  all  teachers 
who  hope  to  succeed  in  creating  or  maintaining  such  senti- 
ment must  possess  and  constantly  cultivate  two  very 
important  characteristics. 

No  teacher  can  hope  to  create  a  sentiment  in  favor  of 
promptness  on  the  part  of  children  who  is  not  a  model  of 
promptness  herself.  This  promptness  must  be  habitual 
and  must  show  itself  in  all  her  acts,  outside  of  the  school- 
room as  well  as  in  it.  Very  little  credit  is  due  any  teacher 
for  being  on  time  in  the  performance  of  the  ordinary,  daily 
duties  of  the  school.  The  rules  of  any  well-directed  school 
require  promptness  of  all  teachers  and  no  teacher  can  hope 
to  retain  her  position  for  any  length  of  time  and  fail  to 
meet  this  reasonable  requirement.  Boys  and  girls  know 
this  and  are  not,  therefore,  greatly  influenced  by  the  prompt- 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      175 

ness  of  their  teachers  in  school.  They  are,  however,  pro- 
foundly influenced  for  good  or  ill  by  the  habits  of  their 
teachers  outside  of  school.  A  concrete  illustration,  drawn 
from  an  actual  experience  of  a  superintendent  of  schools, 
will  serve  to  make  this  plain. 

This  superintendent,  upon  special  invitation  of  the  boys 
of  one  of  the  grammar  grades  of  the  school  under  his 
direction,  joined  them  on  a  Saturday  picnic  excursion, 
knowing  that  on  such  an  occasion  the  boys  would  reveal 
their  real  nature,  as  boys  never  do  in  the  schoolroom.  Rest- 
ing under  a  tree  within  hearing  distance  of  a  group  of  the 
liveliest  boys  in  the  school,  he  heard  a  most  interesting  con- 
versation relating  to  their  teacher.  The  culmination  of  this 
conversation  was  the  following  most  suggestive  comment 
from  the  leader  of  the  group : 

"She  needn't  always  be  talking  to  me  about  coming  to  school  on 
time.  I'm  in  her  Sunday  School  class  and  she's  late  every  Sunday." 

Appreciation  of  the  efforts  of  pupils.  —  A  second  necessary 
characteristic  of  the  teacher  who  hopes  to  succeed  in  creat- 
ing and  maintaining  a  proper  school  sentiment  in  favor  of 
regularity  and  promptness,  or  any  other  school  virtue,  is  a 
cheerful  readiness  to  show  appreciation  of  the  efforts  of 
the  pupils  to  come  to  school  every  day  on  time,  or  to  do  any- 
thing which  will  add  to  the  good  name  of  the  entire  school, 
and  to  the  welfare  of  the  individual  pupil.  In  this  work, 
the  superintendent  or  principal  with  an  interest  in  all  the 
schools  should  exert  a  most  helpful  influence.  In  the  town 
whose  schools  are  the  subject  of  frequent  reference  in  this 
chapter,  an  opportunity  came  for  the  superintendent 
to  help  in  a  manner  which  was  greatly  appreciated  by  the 


176  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

children  and  which  served  to  crystallize  a  strong  sentiment 
among  them  for  regular  and  prompt  attendance. 

On  one  morning  the  ground  was  so  icy  that  walking  was 
dangerous.  All  the  teachers  feared  that  a  large  majority 
of  the  pupils  would  not  come  at  all,  but  all  were  most 
pleasantly  surprised  to  find  that  over  ninety  per  cent  of  the 
children  were  in  school  on  time.  When  this  information 
was  telephoned  to  the  superintendent,  he  immediately 
determined  that  a  fine  opportunity  had  come  to  him  to  put 
forth  extra  effort  to  show  his  appreciation  of  the  extra 
effort  of  the  boys  and  girls,  under  unfavorable  conditions. 
With  considerable  difficulty  each  room  of  the  four  different 
buildings  was  visited,  in  order  that  the  pupils  might  know 
that  the  superintendent,  who  had  to  walk  much  farther 
than  any  of  them  over  the  same  icy  pavements,  was 
genuinely  grateful,  to  them  for  being  in  school  when  it  was 
so  difficult  to  come.  In  order  to  show  appreciation  in  a 
practical  manner,  the  children  in  each  room  were  informed 
that  the  school  board  of  the  town  were  also  so  well  pleased 
with  their  attendance  that  morning  that  they  had  directed 
that  the  schools  should  remain  in  session  in  the  forenoon  for 
a  half  hour  longer  than  usual  and  that  the  pupils  should  be 
dismissed  for  the  remainder  of  the  day.  The  hearty  ap- 
plause which  greeted  this  announcement  in  each  room  still 
rings  in  the  ears  of  that  superintendent  and  will  always 
remain  with  him  in  memory  as  the  sincere  expression  of 
gratitude  of  the  boys  and  girls  who  were  happy  in  the 
knowledge  that  their  efforts  to  reach  school  on  time  under 
difficulty  were  appreciated  by  their  teachers,  their  superin- 
tendent, and  the  school  board.  This  incident  had  no  little 
to  do  with  crystallizing  the  sentiment  of  the  pupils  in  favor 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      177 

of  the  regularity  and  promptness  which  were  shown  in  such 
a  marked  way  in  the  months  and  years  which  followed  in 
their  school  days  and  in  developing  fixed  habits  of  life  after 
school  days  were  over. 

Getting  acquainted  with  the  parents.  —  Another  im- 
portant aid  in  securing  regular  and  prompt  attendance  in 
school  is  found  in  home  visitation  by  teachers  and  principals 
or  superintendents,  with  the  purpose  of  showing  their 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  children  and  of  determining 
the  causes  of  absence  and  tardiness  when  they  exist. 
Referring  once  more  to  the  school  to  which  attention  has 
been  frequently  called,  an  illustration  of  the  effectiveness 
of  this  home  visitation  will  be  found,  which  may  be  sugges- 
tively helpful  to  teachers. 

In  the  month  of  October,  it  will  be  noted  in  the  report, 
there  were  nineteen  cases  of  tardiness  in  the  entire  school. 
Seven  of  these  were  caused  by  the  pupils  attending  a  colored 
school  taught  by  an  excellent  colored  teacher  who  became 
very  much  discouraged  by  what  seemed  to  him  the  hope- 
less task  of  getting  the  children  of  a  few  families  to  come 
to  school  on  time.  In  company  with  the  teacher  the 
superintendent  visited  the  homes  from  which  these  children 
came.  The  parents  were  plainly  and  frankly  told  how 
unfavorably  the  school  which  their  children  attended 
compared  with  the  other  schools  of  the  town.  The  deter- 
mination of  teachers  to  break  up  the  tardiness  which  resulted 
entirely  from  carelessness  was  discussed  and  an  appeal 
was  made  to  the  parents  to  aid  in  the  work.  Several  visits 
were  made  to  one  of  these  homes  before  the  mother  was 
seen.  These  repeated  visits  were  made  necessary  because 
the  mother,  finding  out  in  some  way  that  the  calls  were 

OUR  PUB.   S. 12 


178  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

about  to  be  made,  would  go  out  of  the  back  door  and 
disappear  down  the  alley,  as  her  callers  entered  the  front 
gate.  Upon  being  captured  finally,  as  the  result  of  a  flank 
movement,  the  old  colored  woman  stood  trembling  in  the 
presence  of  her  visitors,  evidently  almost  overcome  with 
fear.  It  was  soon  learned  that  her  strange  actions  were  due 
to  the  fact  that  an  older  boy  was  in  jail  because  of  some 
misdemeanor,  and  the  mother  imagined  that  the  young 
boy  who  was  attending  school  had  also  gotten  into  trouble 
of  some  kind.  When  assured  by  her  visitors  that  they  had 
come  on  a  kindly  errand  to  find  out  why  her  boy  was  not 
in  school  regularly  and  on  time  and  to  ask  her  to  help  in 
keeping  him  in  school,  she  broke  down  completely  and  with 
a  pathetic  earnestness  never  to  be  forgotten  by  the  visitors, 
she  thanked  them  for  their  interest  and  added,  "  I  never 
knowed  before  that  anybody  cared  for  my  boy." 

As  a  result  of  the  visits  to  these  homes,  the  month 
following  there  were  only  three  cases  of  tardiness  in  the 
colored  school,  the  succeeding  month  only  two  cases,  while 
in  January  and  February,  there  was  no  tardiness  at  all. 
The  attendance  also  greatly  improved  to  the  benefit  of  the 
school  and  the  satisfaction  of  the  teacher.  Another  and 
far  more  important  result  of  the  visits  was  the  greatly  in- 
creased interest  and  sympathy  of  the  teacher  and  superin- 
tendent aroused  thereby  in  homes  of  the  type  visited.  Not 
infrequently  in  homes  of  this  class,  occupied  by  white  as 
well  as  colored  people,  there  is  a  feeling  that  no  one  cares 
for  the  welfare  of  the  children  in  them.  In  many  instances 
a  friendly  visit  by  the  teacher  will  be  the  beginning  of  a  new 
interest  of  both  children  and  parents  in  the  work  of  the 
school.  This  new  interest  will  often  change  indifference 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND   REGULAR  ATTENDANCE      179 

to  cooperation  and  thereby  not  only  relieve  the  teachers 
of  much  annoyance  and  sometimes  serious  trouble,  but 
will  also  save  the  children  from  the  formation  of  habits 
which  have  much  to  do  with  failure  in  after  life. 

Importance  of  regular  and  prompt  attendance.  —  Possibly 
some  persons  who  read  this  chapter  will  object  to  placing 
so  much  emphasis  upon  the  regular  and  prompt  attendance 
of  pupils  in  school.  It  may  be  claimed  by  them  that 
tardiness  is  not  immoral  and  that  it  is,  therefore,  wrong  to 
create  a  school  sentiment  which  condemns  it  so  severely. 
To  such  criticism  the  one  decisive  answer  is  that  un- 
necessary tardiness  is  immoral,  at  least  in  the  sense  in 
which  it  is  unjust,  not  only  to  the  person  whose  tardiness 
greatly  hinders  his  own  success,  but  also  to  all  others  who 
suffer  in  loss  of  valuable  time  and  in  disarrangement  of 
carefully  made  plans,  because  some  one  is  late.  The  laws 
of  the  land  provide  severe  punishment  for  any  one  who  robs 
another  of  material  wealth,  but  there  is  no  recourse  open 
to  any  one  who  is  robbed  of  valuable  time  by  another 
who  has  no  conscience  in  keeping  engagements  promptly 
and  who  has  no  appreciation  of  the  value  of  time  to  a  busy 
person  or  any  realization  of  the  serious  inconvenience 
caused  by  his  unnecessary  tardiness. 

Success  or  failure  in  life  depends  very  largely  upon  habits 
formed  in  childhood.  Among  the  habits  which  are  funda- 
mental in  character  and  success,  the  habit  of  regularity 
and  promptness  holds  a  most  important  place.  In  order 
that  this  habit  may  be  cultivated  it  is  legitimate  and  right 
that  school  sentiment  shall  be  so  developed  and  directed  as 
to  commend  strongly  regularity  and  promptness  and  to 
condemn  severely  irregularity  and  tardiness. 


XIII 
SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND    GOOD   BEHAVIOR 

ATER  the  establishment  of  a  school  sentiment 
which  brings  children  to  school  on  time  and  which 
keeps  them  in  school,  in  so  far  as  possible,  every 
day,  the  teacher's  attention  and  effort  should  be  centered 
upon  the  creation  and  maintenance  of  a  strong  school 
sentiment  in  favor  of  good  behavior  on  the  part  of  pupils. 
Good  behavior  means  much  more  than  good  order  as  the 
latter  phrase  is  ordinarily  used.  In  the  minds  of  some 
teachers,  the  demands  of  good  order  are  fully  met  when 
pupils  keep  quiet  in  the  schoolroom.  Perfect  order  which 
manifests  itself  in  the  stillness  of  death  may  result  from 
the  exercise  of  mere  physical  force  by  a  teacher  who  thereby 
frightens  his  pupils  into  keeping  still.  On  the  other  hand 
good  behavior  must,  to  a  large  extent,  be  the  result  of  an 
inner  desire  on  the  part  of  pupils  to  do  right  because  it  is 
right  and  to  avoid  doing  wrong  because  it  is  wrong.  This 
desire  is  best  cultivated  by  living  in  a  school  atmosphere 
due  to  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  what  is  right  and 
opposed  to  what  is  wrong. 

Non-responsive  pupils.  —  Every  one  who  has  success- 
fully taught  school  knows  that  there  is  an  occasional  pupil 
who  will  not  respond  to  such  a  school  sentiment  and  who 
can  be  influenced  in  his  behavior  for  the  right  only  by  a 
wholesome  fear  of  punishment  for  willful  wrongdoing. 
In  rare  instances  such  punishment  must  be  inflicted  and 

180 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   GOOD   BEHAVIOR  l8l 

no  silly  sentimentalism  should  keep  a  teacher  from  doing 
his  duty  when  such  instances  arise. 

It  may  be  true  that  punishment  is  a  relic  of  barbarism. 
It  is  certainly  true  that  an  occasional  barbarian  finds  his 
way  into  the  public  schools,  who  can  be  civilized  only  by 
making  use  of  the  relic.  It  is  much  better  for  such  a 
barbarian  to  be  civilized,  even  by  means  of  punishment, 
than  to  grow  up  a  law-defying  citizen  and,  in  later  life, 
pay  a  severe  penalty  for  some  crime  or  misdemeanor 
committed  by  him.  In  the  great  majority  of  instances, 
however,  good  behavior  of  pupils  can  be  secured  without 
thought  or  fear  of  punishment.  The  stronger  the  school 
sentiment  for  good  behavior  among  the  pupils  in  school, 
the  less  the  need  of  discipline  by  the  teacher. 

Behavior  of  pupils  out  of  school.  —  When  the  sentiment 
of  the  school  is  strongly  in  favor  of  good  behavior  and  when 
high  ideals  of  proper  conduct  are  constantly  held  up  before 
the  pupils  by  teachers  who  practice  what  they  teach,  the 
results  will  be  plainly  seen  not  only  in  the  schoolroom,  but 
also  outside  of  it.  Normal  children,  when  properly  trained 
and  directed,  love  order  rather  than  disorder.  They  enjoy 
marching  in  and  out  of  school  with  systematic  precision. 
They  know  that  in  their  play  right  conduct  and  fair  deal- 
ing are  absolutely  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  game. 
Even  in  going  to  and  from  school  the  effects  of  a  proper 
sentiment  for  good  behavior  among  children  will  be  mani- 
fest. Many  communities  can  bear  testimony  to  the  marked 
difference  in  conduct  of  school  boys  and  girls,  when  outside 
of  school,  under  the  direction  of  different  teachers.  A  resi- 
dent of  a  village,  upon  returning  to  his  home  after  an  ab- 
sence of  several  months,  observed  a  decided  improvement  in 


1 82  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

the  behavior  of  the  pupils  of  the  public  school  as  they  passed 
his  residence,  a  half  mile  away  from  the  schoolhouse.  He 
could  hardly  realize  that  they  were  the  Same  boys  and  girls 
who,  the  previous  year,  had  greatly  annoyed  the  whole 
neighborhood  by  trespassing  upon  lawns,  invading  or- 
chards, and  in  many  other  ways  making  themselves  a 
general  nuisance  to  the  community.  He  at  once  surmised 
that  the  change  for  the  better  was  due  to  a  change  in  the 
principalship  of  the  school.  He  found  upon  inquiry  that 
this  was  true.  A  new  principal  had  come  to  town  and 
with  his  coming  and  under  his  leadership  a  different  senti- 
ment had  been  aroused  in  the  school  and  a  difference  in 
the  behavior  of  the  school  children  necessarily  followed. 

The  wrong  way.  —  In  some  of  the  old-time  country 
schools  —  no  doubt  duplicates  of  them  can  still  be  found 
—  no  attention  was  paid  to  the  behavior  of  pupils  either 
going  out  of  or  coming  into  the  schoolhouse.  When  the 
hour  of  dismissal  came,  or  rather  after  it  was  passed,  for 
too  often  the  school  was  "  let  out  "  late,  the  teacher's 
laconic  statement  "  dismissed  "  was  followed  by  a  scene 
which  can  be  visualized  or  even  imagined  only  by  those 
who  have  been  actors  in  the  "  comedy  "  or  "  tragedy  " 
which  took  place.  To  the  older  boys  and  girls,  who  were 
strong  enough  to  escape  unharmed  in  the  midst  of  the 
rush  for  the  door,  the  performance  partook  of  the  nature 
of  comedy,  for  mirth  certainly  predominated  and  the  ter- 
mination of  the  plot  was  happy,  to  paraphrase  the  lan- 
guage of  Noah  Webster.  To  the  younger  children,  who 
had  to  crawl  under  the  seats  or  seek  other  places  of  safety 
until  the  human  cyclone  passed  by,  tragedy  much  more 
accurately  described  the  event  which  had  every  promise 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   GOOD   BEHAVIOR  183 

of  being  a  "  fatal  and  mournful  one,"  to  quote  again  the 
words  of  the  great  lexicographer.  When  school  "  took 
up  "  either  in  the  morning  or  after  recess  or  noon,  the 
opposite  conditions  prevailed.  The  youngest  and  most 
helpless  of  the  children  were  in  no  danger  of  harm  from 
any  undue  haste  of  the  older  pupils  to  enter.  They  had 
abundance  of  time  to  take  their  seats  without  any  chance 
of  collision  with  their  larger  brothers  and  sisters  who  saun- 
tered into  the  schoolhouse  in  a  leisurely  manner  which 
indicated  that  a  wonderful  reaction  had  taken  place  in 
their  nervous  system  since  they  had  gone  out  with  such 
tremendous  energy  and  rapidity. 

At  the  noon  hour  very  little  time  was  used  in  eating  the 
dinner  which  had  been  carefully  and  amply  provided  by 
the  mothers  of  the  children.  Great  "  efficiency "  was 
shown  in  the  swiftness  of  movement  exhibited  by  the 
pupils  in  opening  their  dinner  buckets  or  baskets.  The 
amount  of  time  devoted  to  eating  inside  the  schoolroom 
depended  entirely  upon  the  state  of  the  weather.  If 
rainy  or  stormy  weather  prevailed  and  prevented  outdoor 
games,  a  few  minutes  might  be  devoted  to  swallowing  a 
good  portion  of  the  large  supply  in  store.  If  the  weather 
at  all  permitted  a  game  of  ball  or  other  outdoor  sports,  the 
only  food  consumed  was  such  as  could  be  transported  to 
the  playground  in  the  hands  of  the  children.  The  amount 
thus  consumed  depended  upon  the  length  of  time  which 
intervened  between  the  minute  of  dismissal  and  the  minute 
at  which  the  consumer  "  went  to  bat  "  or  entered  upon  the 
fulfillment  of  some  other  important  athletic  engagement 
which  must  be  promptly  met,  whether  any  dinner  was  eaten 
or  not. 


184  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

The  right  way.  —  Into  a  school  of  this  type  with  little 
or  no  sentiment  in  favor  of  becoming  behavior  in  relation 
to  the  habits  of  order  and  decency,  there  once  came  a 
teacher  of  real  culture  and  rare  refinement.  In  every 
sense  of  the  word,  he  was  by  nature  and  training  a  true 
gentleman.  At  the  first  noon  hour,  the  school  was  thrown 
into  a  state  of  consternation  by  his  quiet  but  commanding 
announcement  that  fifteen  minutes  of  the  time  would  be 
taken  to  eat  dinner,  the  pupils  being  directed  to  take  their 
dinners  to  their  seats  and  to  sit  down  in  an  orderly  manner 
while  eating.  The  pupils,  especially  the  larger  boys,  gazed 
at  one  another  and  at  the  teacher  in  open-eyed  wonder,  as 
they  silently  surrendered  to  this  startling  innovation  which 
seemed  to  them  to  require  a  wicked  waste  of  time.  They 
could  eat  but  little  because  of  a  difficulty  in  swallowing 
due  to  the  inaction  of  their  salivary  glands,  produced  by 
the  surprise  resulting  from  the  unexpected  situation  into 
which  they  had  so  suddenly  been  thrown.  The  fifteen 
minutes  seemed  an  age  to  them.  In  that  brief  space  of 
time,  however,  they  learned  from  the  example  of  their 
teacher  a  lesson  in  good  behavior,  not  found  in  books,  but 
of  vital  importance  in  their  future  happiness  and  success. 
They  saw  this  teacher  take  a  napkin  from  his  dinner  basket 
and  spread  it  neatly  on  his  desk.  On  this  napkin  he  placed 
the  food  which  he  wanted  to  eat  and  then  proceeded  to 
eat  it  with  due  regard  to  the  usages  of  good  society  and 
the  requirements  of  common  decency.  Fortunately  for 
the  future  comfort  and  welfare  of  the  teacher,  he  showed 
that  he  was  human  by  observing  at  the  close  of  the  meal 
that  he  would  join  the  boys  in  a  game  of  ball. 

More  than  one  pupil  who  attended  that  school  and  thus 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND   GOOD   BEHAVIOR  185 

came  under  the  civilizing  influence  of  the  strong  school 
sentiment  for  good  behavior  in  its  broadest  and  truest 
sense,  developed  under  the  leadership  of  that  teacher,  can 
look  back  upon  the  first  noon  hour  of  the  school  taught 
by  him,  and  the  lesson  in  proper  behavior  in  estting  which 
came  with  it,  as  an  important  experience  in  life. 

Supervision  of  play.  —  The  playground  affords  an  ex- 
cellent opportunity  for  the  cultivation  of  a  strong  school 
sentiment  in  favor  of  the  best  things  in  school  life  and  in 
the  behavior  of  boys  and  girls.  To  what  extent  the  play 
of  children  should  be  supervised  or  directed  is  still  an  open 
question.  Under  normal  conditions,  normal  children  need 
little,  if  any,  supervision  or  direction  in  their  play.  Usually 
they  know  what  games  they  want  to  play  and  how  and 
when  they  want  to  play  them.  Unfortunately,  however, 
there  are  some  abnormal  children  who  seem  to  be  devoid 
of  the  play  instinct  and  who  need  to  be  saved  from  them- 
selves by  being  taught  how  to  play  and  how  to  enjoy  the 
company  of  other  children.  Instead  of  being  permitted  to 
stay  in  the  schoolroom  buried  in  a  book,  or  to  stand  around 
alone  on  the  playground  at  recess,  such  children  should  be 
encouraged,  even  to  the  extent  of  kindly  compulsion,  to 
join  in  the  games  of  the  school.  Children  of  this  type 
furnish  their  teachers  excellent  opportunities  for  the  exer- 
cise of  the  highest  order  of  tact  and  of  the  most  sympathetic 
patience. 

In  these  days  of  crowded  districts  in  the  cities  and  of 
sparsely  settled  districts  in  the  country,  abnormal  condi- 
tions exist  of  an  exactly  opposite  type  but  both  of  which 
are  unfavorable  to  play.  In  the  crowded  districts  of  the 
cities  lack  of  sufficient  room  in  which  to  play  creates  a 


1 86  SCHOOL  SENTIMENT 

condition  which  demands  relief  and  which  is  being  rapidly 
remedied  in  all  progressive  cities  whose  citizens  have  an 
appreciation  of  the  necessity  of  play  in  the  physical,  mental, 
and  moral  education  of  children.  Ample  playgrounds  for 
all  children' of  the  city  are  fully  as  important  a  part  of  the 
equipment  of  the  school  as  the  buildings  in  which  the 
schools  are  held. 

In  the  sparsely  settled  districts  of  the  country,  the  at- 
tendance at  school  is  frequently  so  small  that  it  is  impossible 
to  arouse  any  enthusiasm  in  the  games  which  appeal  with 
so  much  force  to  children  when  there  are  a  sufficient  number 
to  play  them.  In  such  schools  the  difficulty  is  increased 
by  the  type  of  games  now  most  popular  with  the  public. 
It  is  rather  difficult  to  organize  a  team  for  baseball,  foot- 
ball, or  basketball  in  a  country  school  whose  total  enroll- 
ment ranges  from  six  to  ten,  about  equally  divided  between 
boys  and  girls.  Even  when  the  enrollment  of  a  country 
school  is  normal  and  reaches  twenty  to  thirty,  it  is  not  an 
easy  task  under  present  conditions  and  with  the  modern 
ideas  of  games,  to  organize  the  play  of  the  children  so  as 
to  make  it  appeal  to  all  classes  and  all  ages.  In  the  play 
of  the  children  as  well  as  in  their  studies,  the  centralized 
school  is  proving  its  worth  and  necessity. 

Old-time  school  games.  —  To  schools  of  all  kinds  there 
would  come  real  benefit,  could  there  be  a  renewal  of  the 
playing  of  some  of  the  old  games  in  which  few  or  many 
can  take  part.  The  present  tendency  of  both  the  elemen- 
tary and  high  schools  of  village  and  town  to  ape  the  colleges 
and  universities  in  athletics  is  harmful  both  to  the  spirit  of 
real  play  and  also  to  the  morals  of  the  boys  and  girls.  The 
impossibility  of  the  country  schools'  following  the  example 


SCHOOL  SENTIMENT  AND   GOOD   BEHAVIOR  187 

of  the  village  and  town  schools  in  their  attempt  to  conduct 
their  games  after  the  fashion  of  the  college  and  university, 
will  account  in  no  small  measure  for  the  lack  of  play  of  any 
kind  in  many  district  schools.  No  more  difficult  or  impor- 
tant task  confronts  the  teacher  of  any  school,  especially  the 
small  one-room  district  school,  than  to  foster  the  play  spirit  of 
the  pupils  under  his  direction.  The  best  work  in  the  school- 
room is  impossible  without  real,  recreative,  life-giving  play 
outside  of  the  schoolroom  at  the  recess  and  the  noon  periods. 

While  there  may  be  an  honest  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
the  advisability  of  supervising  and  directing  the  play  of 
normal  children  under  normal  conditions,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  the  necessity  of  a  sympathetic  attitude  of  all 
teachers  in  relation  to  the  games  of  the  playground.  There 
is  something  abnormally  wrong  with  teachers  who  have  no 
interest  in  the  play  of  their  pupils.  All  wide-awake  teach- 
ers know  that  the  playground  offers  an  opportunity  to  study 
the  characteristics  of  their  pupils  which  the  classroom  can- 
not furnish.  It  is  exceedingly  unfortunate  that  there  are 
still  a  few  teachers  who  have  not  yet  learned  that  the  re- 
cess period  is  fully  as  important  a  factor  in  the  education 
of  children  as  the  recitation  hour.  The  sentiment  of  the 
school  for  good  behavior  is  largely  influenced  by  the  stand- 
ards of  conduct  which  prevail  on  the  playground.  All 
teachers  who  prize  good  behavior  and  who  realize  the 
tremendous  influence  of  school  sentiment  in  securing  it, 
always  show  a  sympathetic  interest  in  the  games  played 
by  their  pupils. 

The  teacher  on  the  playground.  —  Whether  a  teacher 
should  join  his  pupils  in  playing  games  will  depend  in  a 
large  measure  upon  how  well  he  can  play  them.  Repeated 


1 88  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

failure  by  a  teacher  to  bat  a  ball  will  often  result  in  his 
losing  the  respect  of  pupils  just  as  certainly  as  failure  to 
make  a  point  in  a  recitation.  Success  on  the  playground, 
on  the  other  hand,  often  opens  up  an  avenue  of  approach 
to  the  hearts  of  pupils,  especially  boys  of  a  certain  age,  who 
can  be  won  in  no  other  way.  Other  things  being  equal,  the 
athletic  teacher  has  a  decided  advantage  over  the  teacher 
who  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in  games  or  who  has 
no  personal  interest  in  play. 

In  a  school  located  in  a  college  town,  a  new  principal 
took  charge.  At  the  first  recess,  he  looked  out  of  his  office 
on  a  game  of  baseball  played  between  the  regular  high 
school  nine  and  a  "  scrub  "  team  made  up  of  the  best  re- 
maining players  in  the  school.  In  addition  to  the  oppor- 
tunity for  play  which  the  game  furnished,  there  was  a 
strong  incentive  to  all  to  do  their  best  because  of  the  chance 
which  such  play  offered  to  the  high  school  team  for  the 
practice  needed  in  their  preparation  for  games  with  the 
college  students  and  other  high  schools.  With  such  an 
incentive  to  stimulate  them,  they  played  well.  The  pitcher 
of  the  regular  team  was  an  expert  even  at  that  time.  Later 
on  he  pitched  the  team  of  the  college  from  which  he  grad- 
uated to  victory  in  many  a  hard  fought  battle.  The  new 
principal  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  game  of  ball  but  was  not 
an  expert  in  playing  it.  While  he  felt  that  he  would  like 
to  join  the  boys  in  the  game,  he  was  fearful  of  the  outcome 
should  he  try  it.  The  second  day  the  captain  of  the  team, 
a  thoroughly  manly  fellow  who  was  a  leader  in  all  the  work 
and  life  of  the  school,  called  at  the  office  of  the  principal 
and  courteously  inquired  of  him  whether  he  ever  played 
ball.  A  hesitating  "  sometimes"  was  the  reply,  which 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND    GOOD   BEHAVIOR  189 

was  followed  by  a  pressing  invitation  by  the  captain  to 
join  in  their  games,  assuring  the  principal  that  all  the 
boys  wanted  him  to  do  so.  To  play  or  not  to  play  was 
the  dilemma  which  confronted  the  anxious  principal. 
Whether  'twere  better  to  decline  the  invitation  with 
thanks,  or  simply  to  join  the  onlookers  and  "  root  "  for 
the  game,  or  to  go  to  bat  and,  perchance,  soon  hear  the 
unwelcome  sentence,  "  three  strikes  and  out,"  was  not 
easy  to  decide.  The  decision  was  to  join  actively  in  the 
game,  and  trust  to  the  fates,  together  with  the  best  efforts 
of  which  he  was  capable,  for  a  favorable  outcome.  Cer- 
tainly the  fates  must  have  sympathized  with  the  new 
principal  that  day  as  he  took  his  place  at  the  plate  and, 
with  grim  determination  to  do  or  to  die,  faced  the  pitcher. 
All  the  players  were  unusually  alert  and  many  a  knowing 
and  suggestive  glance  passed  among  them.  The  pitcher 
with  due  deliberation  threw  the  ball.  The  principal  struck 
at  it  and,  mirabile  dictu,  hit  it  at  precisely  the  right  spot, 
in  exactly  the  right  way,  knocked  it  outside  of  the  school 
grounds,  far  out  into  an  adjoining  field,  and  made  his  first, 
last,  and  only  home  run.  The  remarks  which  were  made 
as  he  ran  the  bases  and  the  applause  which  greeted  his 
arrival  at  the  home  base  were  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make 
him  feel  that  the  problem  of  the  discipline  of  the  school 
was  already  at  least  partially  solved.  No  doubt  that 
successful  "  hit  "  in  the  baseball  game  opened  the  way  for 
successful  teaching  in  the  classroom  and  furnished  an 
opportunity  to  get  close  enough  to  the  boys  to  help  in 
leading  them  to  help  the  teachers  in  creating  and  main- 
taining a  strong  sentiment  for  good  behavior  both  in  and 
out  of  the  schoolroom. 


IQO  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

Teachers  who  know  that  they  cannot  play  or  who  feel 
that  they  cannot  learn  to  play  a  game  well  enough  to  com- 
mand the  respect  of  their  pupils,  will  do  well  to  decline  to 
play  at  all.  Inability  to  play,  however,  is  no  reason  or 
excuse  for  a  lack  of  interest  in  play  or  for  a  failure  to  show 
an  appreciation  of  pupils  who  play  well.  Teachers  who 
have  no  such  interest  or  who  have  no  inclination  or 
desire  to  express  such  appreciation  are  sadly  lacking  in 
some  of  the  essentials  which  always  characterize  leaders 
in  influencing  the  sentiment  of  the  school  for  good  be- 
havior. 

The  teacher's  example.  —  Just  as  in  the  development 
of  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  promptness  so  in  the  culti- 
vation of  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  good  behavior,  the 
personal  example  of  the  teacher  is  an  exceedingly  important 
factor.  "  As  is  the  teacher  so  is  the  school,"  is  literally 
true  many  times  as  shown  in  the  conduct  of  pupils.  While 
this  fact  brings  to  all  conscientious  teachers  a  keen  sense 
of  their  responsibility,  it  also  makes  plain  to  them  their 
unusual  opportunity  to  influence  the  habits  of  conduct  of 
their  pupils  to  a  greater  extent  than  is  exercised  by  any 
other  agency,  with  the  possible  exception  of  some  of  the 
better  class  of  homes.  Any  teacher  who  sneers  at  such 
responsibility  or  who  makes  light  of  such  opportunity 
thereby  shows  that  he  has  no  real  appreciation  of  the  real 
work  of  a  real  teacher.  In  practically  all  schools,  the 
conduct  of  teachers  in  the  schoolroom  must  accord  with 
the  highest  ideals  of  morality.  All  teachers  who  have 
conscience  enough  to  feel  their  responsibility  and  heart 
enough  to  realize  and  to  appreciate  their  opportunity  in 
relation  to  the  conduct  of  their  pupils  constantly  strive 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   GOOD   BEHAVIOR  IQI 

to  furnish  a  good  example  by  earnestly  endeavoring  to 
live  up  to  these  same  ideals  outside  of  school. 

The  manner  of  life  of  teachers  outside  of  the  classroom 
oftentimes  has  more  influence  upon  the  conduct  of  pupils 
than  all  that  they  say  and  do  in  the  classroom.  If  the 
conduct  of  teachers  outside  of  school  corresponds  with 
their  precept  and  example  in  school  in  favor  of  the  best 
things  in  life,  then  their  influence  is  greatly  strengthened. 
But  should  their  conduct  outside  of  school  not  measure 
up  to  the  standards  set  in  school,  then  their  influence  for 
good  is  entirely  nullified.  It  is  highly  important,  there- 
fore, that  all  teachers  who  are  really  desirous  of  creating 
and  maintaining  a  strong  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  good 
behavior  should  fully  appreciate  the  important  part  which 
their  own  behavior  plays  in  realizing  their  desires. 

In  all  respects,  teachers  should  strive  to  furnish  an 
example  worthy  of  imitation,  which  will  be  a  safe  guide  to 
right  conduct.  This  is  true  not  only  with  special  reference 
to  morals  but  also  in  relation  to  matters  of  dress,  cleanliness, 
neatness,  and  order,  all  of  which  are  at  least  closely  related 
to  morals,  and  exercise  a  decided  influence  upon  the  con- 
duct and  character  of  pupils.  The  order  or  disorder  of  a 
teacher's  desk  will  determine  in  a  large  measure  the  order 
or  disorder  of  the  desks  of  the  pupils  and  will  have  a  de- 
cided influence  upon  the  behavior  of  the  school.  Well- 
shined  shoes  worn  by  the  teacher  will  have  more  to  do  in 
influencing  the  majority  of  children  to  clean  their  shoes 
before  coming  into  the  schoolhouse  than  daily  lectures 
upon  the  subject,  and  will  also  affect  their  general  behavior 
in  no  small  degree. 

Some  years  ago  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  natural 


1 92  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

ability  and  of  good  education  failed  of  reelection  as  superin- 
tendent of  schools  in  the  town  which  he  had  served  for 
several  years.  To  an  outsider,  the  action  of  the  school 
board  in  thus  failing  to  reelect  him  seemed  an  inexcusable 
injustice.  When  asked  for  a  reason  for  the  action  of  the 
board,  one  of  its  members,  a  gentleman  of  excellent  char- 
acter and  high  standing  in  the  community,  who  had  always 
been  friendly  to  the  superintendent,  replied  substantially 
as  follows : 

"  He  always  persisted  in  wearing  a  low-cut  vest  and  a 
white  necktie,  but  did  not  change  his  linen  often  enough 
to  meet  the  demands  of  cleanliness.  As  a  result  he  lost 
the  respect  of  many  pupils,  parents,  and  teachers,  and 
thereby  lost  his  influence  for  good  in  the  schools." 

While  this  example  may  illustrate  an  exceptional  case, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  many  similar  instances,  differing, 
if  at  all,  only  in  degree,  can  be  found.  Teachers  who  are 
not  cleanly,  neat,  and  orderly  do  lose  the  respect  of  their 
pupils  and  thereby  do  lose  their  influence  for  good  in  the 
schools  which  they  teach. 


XIV 

SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND   DILIGENT  EFFORT 

WITH  a  school  sentiment  which  secures  regular 
and  prompt  attendance  and  which  insures  good 
behavior  of  the  pupils,  a  safe  and  secure  founda- 
tion upon  which  to  establish  a  successful  school  is  assured. 
In  the  establishment  of  such  a  school  there  are  certain 
factors  of  such  primary  importance  as  to  warrant  their 
careful  consideration.     One  of  these  factors  is  a  strong 
and  abiding  sentiment  in  favor  of  hard  work  as  the  only 
guarantee  of  success  in  securing  anything  worth  securing, 
in  education  as  well  as  in  any  other  worthy  cause. 

Hard  work  leads  to  success.  —  In  .considering  the  causes 
of  retardation  of  pupils  in  the  public  schools,  it  is  well  to 
remember  that,  while  some  pupils  fail  to  measure  up  to  the 
standards  of  the  school  because  of  inability  to  do  the  pre- 
scribed work,  perhaps  a  much  larger  number  fail  because 
they  are  unwilling  to  work.  Some  pupils  are  undoubtedly 
"  born  short  "  and  are,  therefore,  deserving  of  all  the  special 
consideration  which  it  is  possible  for  the  teachers  of  the 
public  schools  to  give  or  for  special  schools  to  provide. 
Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  favor  of  doing  all  that  sym- 
pathy, intelligently  directed,  can  suggest  or  liberal  appro- 
priations of  money,  wisely  used,  can  furnish,  for  the  better 
education  and  training  of  defective  children.  A  much 
larger  number  of  pupils,  however,  are  either  born  lazy  or 
have  been  so  pampered  by  indulgent  parents  that  they 

OUR  PUB.    S.  —  13  193 


194  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

have  never  learned  that  work  on  their  own  part  is  a  neces- 
sity. Such  pupils  should  be  given  to  understand  that 
they  have  no  claims  upon  teachers  for  special  consideration. 
The  freaks  or  fancies  of  children  regarding  what  they  may 
want  to  do  or  not  want  to  do,  determined  by  whether  they 
imagine  the  work  easy  or  difficult,  should  never  receive  any 
serious  consideration  by  either  parents  or  teachers.  Nor- 
mal children,  who  are  properly  trained  at  home  and  rightly 
taught  in  school,  find  just  as  real  pleasure  in  the  work  which 
every  worthy  school  demands  and  secures  as  in  the  play 
which  every  deserving  school  provides  and  encourages. 

While  it  is  no  doubt  true  that  all  work  and  no  play  makes 
Jack  a  dull  boy,  it  is  equally  true  that  all  play  and  no  work 
invariably  fails  to  make  any  child  or  adult  either  happy, 
contented,  or  successful.  The  perfect  joy  which  results 
from  real  play  and  restful  recreation  is  possible  only  to 
those  who  have  experienced  the  genuine  pleasure  due  to 
purposeful  work,  conscientiously  performed.  The  child 
who  has  been  so  surfeited  with  play  that  he  does  not  find 
any  joy  in  it,  who  has  done  nothing  so  long  that  he  is  un- 
willing to  do  anything,  who  thinks  that  it  is  the  chief  busi- 
ness of  the  world  to  entertain  or  to  amuse  him,  and  who  will 
not  attempt  to  do  anything  unless  first  assured  that  the 
doing  will  cost  no  effort  on  his  part,  is  an  object  of  pity. 
Such  a  child  presents  a  serious  problem  to  his  teachers. 
Unless  his  viewpoint  of  life  can  be  changed  and  he  can  be 
made  to  realize  the  necessity  of  work  in  obtaining  an  edu- 
cation, he  will  remain  uneducated,  no  difference  how  much 
money  may  be  spent  upon  him  by  fond  parents  whose 
foolish  indulgence  has  made  it  impossible  for  the  best 
schools  and  teachers  to  be  of  any  service  to  him. 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND   DILIGENT   EFFORT  195 

A  foolish  and  harmful  idea.  —  Unfortunately  some 
teachers  have  become  inoculated  with  the  pedagogical 
heresy  that  children  should  never  be  conscious  of  effort  in 
learning  or  doing  anything.  They  have,  therefore,  at- 
tempted to  turn  the  schoolroom  into  a  play  house  and  the 
entire  teaching  and  learning  process  into  a  game  of  some 
kind.  While  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  spirit  of  play, 
which  is  characterized  by  freedom  and  joy,  should  always 
dominate  the  work  of  the  school,  it  is  also  true  that  children 
should  learn  early  in  their  school  experience  that  work  is 
not  play.  In  fact,  unless  children  are  misled  by  foolish 
teachers  and  parents,  they  soon  understand  the  difference 
between  play  and  work  and  fully  realize  that  the  two  can- 
not be  interchanged  without  loss  to  both. 

In  a  school  which  posed  as  the  representative  of  the  so- 
called  new  education,  but  which  in  reality  misrepresented 
all  true  education,  the  primary  arithmetic  class  was  called. 
The  teacher  in  charge  was  an  exponent  of  the  spontaneity 
craze  which  sometimes  breaks  out  in  the  ranks  of  teachers. 
Her  pupils  ranging  in  age  from  seven  to  eight  years  showed 
by  their  actions  that  they  had  taken  full  advantage  of  the 
"  new  freedom  "  which  had  come  to  them.  They  both 
acted  and  reacted  in  a  truly  marvelous  manner.  Motion 
seemed  to  be  the  law  of  their  being  and  the  law  was  in 
constant  action.  When  they  came  to  the  class  all  the 
gaits  known  to  the  race  track  were  exhibited.  Some 
ran,  others  paced,  a  few  cantered,  still  others  loped.  No 
one  walked  in  an  orderly  manner.  Such  a  method  of 
travel  as  orderly  walking  would  have  been  an  indication 
of  conservatism  which  the  teacher  could  not,  under  any 
circumstances,  permit,  since  it  would  interfere  with  the 


1 96  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

free  and  full  development  of  all  the  natural  powers  of  the 
children. 

After  the  majority  of  the  class  had  arrived  some  place 
near  the  vicinity  where  the  recitation  in  arithmetic  was  to 
take  place,  one  of  the  boys,  an  unusually  active,  flesh-and- 
blood  specimen,  was  selected  to  act  as  a  fairy  and  was 
given  a  wand  —  a  long  stick,  the  use  of  which  the  disorder 
of  the  school  might  have  warranted  for  another  purpose  — 
with  which  to  perform  various  acts  of  a  more  or  less  mi- 
raculous nature.  The  teacher  then  announced  that  the 
drama  of  arithmetic  was  about  to  be  staged  and  that  the 
first  act  would  be  of  the  blind  variety.  The  fairy  at  once 
proceeded  to  pass  the  wand  over  the  heads  of  his  classmates 
with  the  purpose  of  closing  their  eyes  to  all  their  surround- 
ings. For  some  reason,  perhaps  because  the  presence  of 
visitors  was  unfavorable  to  the  perfect  action  of  the  wand, 
nearly  all  the  children  kept  at  least  one  eye  partly  open. 
Even  with  this  partial  blindness,  the  game  of  blind  arith- 
metic proceeded.  The  teacher  struck  a  call-bell  three 
times,  paused  a  moment,  and  then  again  struck  the  bell 
three  times.  After  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  for  a  com- 
plete realization  of  the  full  effect  of  this  wonderful  per- 
formance upon  the  minds  of  the  sightless  children,  the 
fairy  in  charge  of  the  show  led  one  of  his  blind  classmates 
to  the  bell.  This  blind  boy  at  once  struck  the  bell  six 
times  with  all  his  might  and  the  immortal  truth  that  three 
and  three  are  six  rang  out  upon  the  schoolroom  air  with 
such  a  volume  of  sound  as  to  extinguish  temporarily  all 
other  noises,  and  to  announce  to  the  entire  school  the 
culmination  of  the  first  act  of  the  drama. 

In  the  intermission  between  acts,  the  teacher  kindly 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   DILIGENT  EFFORT  197 

explained  the  "  psychology  "  of  the  game  by  informing  her 
visitors  that  it  proved  what  was  at  that  time  generally  ac- 
cepted as  true  by  all  leading  psychologists,  viz.  that  impres- 
sions could  reach  the  brain  by  the  auditory  nerve  alone. 

Following  the  brief  intermission,  the  curtain  arose  on 
the  second  and  final  act  of  the  drama.  The  fairy  proceeded 
to  restore  sight  to  the  blind  by  passing  his  wand  over  the 
heads  of  the  class  in  a  direction  opposite  to  that  in  which 
it  was  passed  when  they  were  deprived  of  their  sight. 
Pausing  a  moment  so  that  their  eyes  might  once  more  be- 
come accustomed  to  the  light,  the  miracle-performing  rod 
was  again  passed  over  their  heads.  In  an  instant  their 
ears  were  stopped  with  their  own  fingers,  their  tongues 
were  palsied  by  their  own  efforts,  and  they  became  deaf 
to  all  sound  and  incapable  of  speaking  to  any  one.  Not- 
withstanding strong  circumstantial  evidence  tending  to 
prove  that  neither  perfect  deafness  nor  entire  speechlessness 
resulted  from  the  efforts  of  the  fairy,  the  game  of  deaf  and 
dumb  arithmetic  proceeded.  The  teacher  held  up  three 
pieces  of  crayon  in  her  right  hand  and  the  same  number  in 
her  left  hand.  The  pupils  with  their  recently  restored 
vision  gazed  upon  the  scene  for  a  short  time.  Then  one 
of  the  deaf  and  dumb  members  of  the  class  with  great 
spontaneity  of  movement  rushed  to  the  crayon  box,  took 
out  six  pieces  of  crayon  and  holding  them  aloft  again 
proved  that  three  and  three  are  six.  The  teacher  again 
explained  to  her  visitors  the  "  psychology  "  of  the  game 
by  calling  attention  to  another  theory  which  she  informed 
them  had  also  been  generally  accepted  by  all  leading 
psychologists,  viz.  that  impressions  could  reach  the  brain 
by  the  optic  nerve  alone. 


1 98  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

The  pupils,  having  been  restored  again  to  their  normal 
condition  through  the  agency  of  the  fairy's  wand,  rushed 
to  their  different  seats,  each  in  his  own  spontaneous  man- 
ner, and  each,  no  doubt,  in  his  heart  as  completely  dis- 
gusted with  the  entire  silly  performance  as  were  the  visitors, 
whose  experience  with  children  both  in  work  and  at  play 
caused  them  to  feel  that  such  a  farce  as  they  had  just  wit- 
nessed was  an  insult  to  the  intelligence  of  childhood  and  a 
worse  than  useless  waste  of  valuable  time. 

Normal  children  are  never  interested  in  easy  tasks. 
They  are  not  even  entertained  by  attempts  to  deceive 
them  into  thinking  that  they  can  learn  anything  worth 
knowing  incidentally  or  accidentally  and  entirely  without 
effort  on  their  own  part.  Their  intuition  teaches  them 
that  work  is  a  necessity  in  doing  anything  really  worth 
doing. 

Lessons  of  the  playground.  —  The  real  spirit  of  childhood 
is  usually  best  shown  on  the  playground.  The  games  which 
appeal  with  most  force  and  which  bring  the  greatest  joy  to 
children  are  never  easy  ones.  Watch  the  boys  on  the  play- 
ground of  a  country  school.  The  jumping  "  epoch  "  in 
the  year's  calendar  of  sports  has  arrived.  Apparently 
without  any  hint  or  suggestion  from  any  one,  all  the  boys 
in  the  neighborhood  have  been  suddenly  seized  with  an 
insatiable  desire  to  jump  in  any  and  every  direction,  up 
and  down,  in  and  out,  backward  and  forward.  Standing 
jumps,  running  jumps,  high  jumps,  and  hop-step-and- 
jumps  are  a  few  of  the  many  varieties  indulged  in.  On  this 
particular  day  the  high  jump  is  the  special  order.  The 
simplest  and,  for  that  reason,  perhaps  the  best  apparatus 
has  been  provided  for  use  for  this  particular  event.  This 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT   AND   DILIGENT   EFFORT  1 99 

apparatus  consists  of  two  sharpened  sticks  with  forks  on 
them  at  different  distances  from  their  sharpened  ends  and 
a  third  stick  to  be  used  as  a  hurdle  over  which  the  young 
athletes  are  to  jump.  The  sharpened  sticks  are  pushed 
into  the  ground  and  in  their  lowest  notches  the  third  stick 
is  laid.  All  the  boys  of  all  ages  and  sizes  jump  over  it 
with  little  or  no  difficulty.  No  one  cares  to  repeat  the 
exercise  for  the  simple  reason  given  by  one  boy  who  im- 
patiently observes  that  anybody  can  jump  that  high.  He 
enthusiastically  asks  that  the  hurdle  be  put  up  higher. 
His  request  is  granted.  Only  a  few  of  the  older  or  the 
more  athletic  boys  are  able  to  perform  the  more  difficult 
task.  The  others  stand  by  and  cheer  their  more  successful 
playmates,  and  at  the  same  time  not  only  long  for  the  day 
when  they  can  perform  the  same  feat,  but  with  fixed  de- 
termination resolve  to  hasten  its  arrival  by  constant  prac- 
tice. The  hurdle  is  then  placed  in  the  highest  notches. 
Only  one  boy  in  the  entire  school  is  able  to  jump  over  it. 
This  he  proceeds  to  do  with  great  joy  to  himself  and  to  the 
intense  delight  of  all  the  other  boys  who  admire  what  he 
has  done  because  it  was  hard  to  do. 

Play  and  work.  —  In  a  well-taught  school,  not  only  do 
the  freedom  and  joy  which  are  characteristic  of  the  spirit 
of  play  dominate  the  work  of  the  pupils  in  the  preparation 
and  recital  of  their  daily  lessons,  but  there  are  also  manifest 
the  same  determined  earnestness  to  excel  in  the  work  of  the 
school  as  is  shown  in  the  games  of  the  playground,  and  the 
same  willingness  to  win  success  by  putting  forth  the  neces- 
sary effort  to  insure  it.  Just  as  there  are  always  a  few 
pupils  who,  because  of  inability,  indifference,  or  laziness, 
do  not  care  to  play  well,  if  at  all,  so  there  is  always  a  small 


200  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

minority  in  every  school  who,  for  similar  reasons,  cannot 
be  aroused  even  by  the  best  teachers,  aided  by  the  strongest 
school  sentiment,  to  do  much,  if  any,  serious  work.  The 
great  majority  of  pupils,  however,  when  properly  taught 
and  wisely  directed,  do  respond  to  the  sentiment  of  a  school 
which  has  high  ideals  of  industry  and  which  demands  that 
all  credits  shall  be  honestly  earned,  all  honors  meritoriously 
won,  and  all  worthy  standing  of  pupils  be  maintained  by 
their  doing  each  day  the  best  work  of  which  they  are 
capable.  A  successful  school  is  always  a  hard-working 
school.  To  maintain  such  standards  of  work  as  will  in- 
sure success  in  any  school,  a  strong  sentiment  in  favor  of 
hard  work  is  a  fundamental  necessity. 

In  the  cultivation  of  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  hard 
work,  the  personal  example  of  the  teacher  plays  as  important 
a  part  as  in  the  cultivation  of  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  prompt- 
ness and  good  behavior.  Devotion  to  study  on  the  part  of 
teachers  is  contagious  and  spreads  rapidly  through  an  entire 
school. 

The  Oneida  Institute.  —  No  one  who  has  listened  to  the 
story  of  the  early  struggles  of  the  teachers  in  Oneida  In- 
stitute, located  in  the  mountains  of  Eastern  Kentucky,  so 
graphically  told  by  its  remarkable  founder,  James  H.  Burns, 
known  as  "  Burns  of  the  Mountains,"  can  doubt  the  effec- 
tiveness of  the  instruction  of  teachers  who,  although  de- 
ficient in  academic  training  for  their  work,  are  on  fire  with 
a  zeal  to  learn  as  well  as  to  teach.  When  the  young  moun- 
taineers in  the  school  casually  learned  from  a  college  cata- 
logue, which  in  some  way  came  to  their  notice,  the  require- 
ments for  college  entrance  and  then  presented  these 
requirements  to  their  inadequately  prepared  teachers  for 


SCHOOL   SENTIMENT  AND   DILIGENT   EFFORT  2OI 

consideration,  consternation  followed.  To  these  teachers 
it  seemed  utterly  impossible  to  teach  the  required  subjects. 
It  was  in  this  crisis  that  the  great  leader,  the  head  of  the 
school,  whose  academic  preparation  consisted  of  ten  months 
of  schooling  in  one  of  the  mountain  schools  and  seven 
months  in  Denison  University,  Granville,  Ohio,  "  called  a 
'  faculty  meeting/  "  to  quote  his  own  humorous  phrase, 
to  determine  what  could  be  done  for  these  young  students 
who  were  burning  with  an  intense  desire  to  get  an  educa- 
tion. The  different  members  of  the  "  faculty  "  were  asked 
whether  they  thought  they  could  learn  as  rapidly  as  the 
students  whom  they  had  to  teach.  All  agreed  that  they 
thought  they  could.  The  thought  that  they  could  soon 
grew  into  a  determination  that  they  would.  Led  by  this 
determination,  the  devoted  teachers  of  the  school  met  each 
evening  at  six  o'clock.  From  that  hour  until  midnight, 
with  an  earnestness  which  could  not  acknowledge  defeat, 
they  prepared  the  lessons  they  were  to  teach  to  the  boys 
and  girls  who  were  equally  determined  to  learn. 

Of  course,  the  formal  demands  of  the  colleges  that 
students  could  not  enter  the  freshman  class  unless  they 
had  been  prepared  by  college  trained  teachers  recognized 
no  exceptions  to  the  rule.  All  the  students  trained  in 
Oneida  Institute  had  to  undergo  a  rigid  examination 
when  they  presented  themselves  as  prospective  college 
students.  At  first  they  were  examined  in  the  common 
branches  taught  in  the  elementary  grades.  So  surprisingly 
satisfactory  were  the  results  of  this  examination,  that  tests 
were  applied  to  their  knowledge  of  high  school  branches 
with  the  result  that  practically  all  of  them  were  admitted 
to  the  freshman  class.  One  of  their  number  was  given 


202  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

advanced  standing  in  the  sophomore  class  of  a  college  in 
good  and  regular  standing,  a  member  of  the  examining 
committee  humorously  observing  that  had  they  kept  on 
with  the  examination,  he  verily  believed  that  some  of  the 
students  would  have  graduated  from  college  without 
entering  it.  The  record  made  by  these  students  while 
in  college  and  their  success  since  graduating  from  college 
prove  beyond  a  doubt  the  efficiency  of  the  training  they 
received  in  the  Oneida  Institute  at  the  hands  of  teachers 
whose  lack  of  preparation  was  more  than  made  up  by  a 
desperate  determination  to  meet  a  need  which  could  be 
met  by  no  one  else. 

The  reference  to  the  marked  success  achieved  by  Oneida 
Institute,  which  has  no  doubt  been  duplicated  in  a  measure 
at  least  by  other  similar  schools,  is  not  made  with  the 
thought  that  such  unusual  success  even  suggests  that 
teachers  can  usually  hope  to  succeed  to  any  great  degree 
without  thorough  preparation  for  their  work.  The  founder 
of  this  school  and  his  assistants,  who  have  accomplished  so 
much  with  so  little  capital  of  preparatory  training  and 
equipment,  deeply  regret  this  lack  of  education  and  train- 
ing for  their  work.  But  their  success  under  such  unusual 
difficulties  and  in  spite  of  such  marked  limitations  does 
demonstrate  the  possibilities  of  work  by  determined  teach- 
ers and  the  effect  of  such  work  on  the  pupils  whom  they 
teach.  Could  the  same  devotion  to  duty  and  the  same 
determination  to  grow  in  knowledge  as  characterized  the 
founder  and  teachers  of  this  school  of  mountaineers  in 
Eastern  Kentucky  take  possession  of  all  the  teachers  who 
have  had  the  advantage  of  thorough  preparation  for  their 
work,  who  could  measure  the  effects  upon  the  sentiment 


SCHOOL    SENTIMENT   AND    DILIGENT   EFFORT  203 

of  the  schools  taught  by  them  as  well  as  upon  the  individual 
pupils  who  attend  the  schools?  It  is  safe  to  say  that  in 
many  schools  and  colleges  there  would  come  to  the  pupils 
and  students  a  new  interest  in  education  and  an  enlarged 
vision  of  life  and  its  work. 

No  excellence  without  labor.  —  Work,  both  purposeful 
and  persistent,  is  a  fundamental  necessity  in  winning  either 
success  or  happiness.  When  the  lamented  Booker  T. 
Washington  was  requested  by  the  Sunday  School  Times 
in  1907  to  name  the  things  for  which  he  was  most  thankful, 
the  chief  source  of  the  gratitude  of  his  heart  was  summed 
up  as  follows : 

"First  for  the  opportunity  to  work.  Work  is  the  greatest  blessing 
that  a  Good  Providence  has  conferred  upon  the  human  race.  Any 
one  who  has  learned  to  love  work  for  its  own  sake  cannot  fail  to  be 
supremely  happy.  The  man  who  has  something  to  do  is  to  be  envied. 
The  man  who  has  nothing  to  do  is  to  be  pi  tied. " 

Fortunate  indeed  are  the  pupils  who  come  under  the 
influence  of  teachers  whose  example  impresses  the  lesson 
of  gratitude  for  an  opportunity  to  work  and  inspires  a  love 
of  work  for  its  own  sake. 


XV 
INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT 

ANOTHER  prime  essential  in  a  good  school  is  a 
strong  sentiment  in  favor  of  truthfulness  and 
honesty  in  all  the  work  of  the  school.  So  intimately 
related  are  truthfulness  and  honesty  that  they  can  be 
considered  as  really  one  element  of  character.  Certainly 
one  cannot  exist  without  the  other  and  no  school  can  be  a 
good  school  which  does  not  daily  emphasize  the  importance 
and  necessity  of  both  in  the  education  of  boys  and  girls. 
In  all  the  work  of  the  classroom,  in  all  the  games  of  the 
playground,  and  in  all  the  relations  of  teachers  with 
pupils  and  of  pupils  with  each  other,  there  should  be  a 
definite  understanding  that  truthfulness  and  honesty  must 
be  the  rule  which  admits  of  no  exceptions.  Trained  in 
such  an  atmosphere  and  guided  by  such  a  sentiment  boys 
and  girls  will  grow  up  to  love  truth  for  truth's  sake,  and  to 
hate  deception  in  all  forms  because  of  its  harmful  effect 
upon  life  and  character. 

Moral  sentiment  essential.  —  That  there  is  need  of  such 
training  and  guidance  and  that  it  is  also  difficult  to  give 
it,  will  be  readily  recognized  by  all  who  know  conditions 
as  they  exist  to-day.  In  too  many  instances,  the  critics 
of  the  character  products  of  the  public  schools  lose  sight 
of  the  fact  that  the  training  in  character  which  they  so 
insistently  demand  of  the  schools  is  exceedingly  difficult 
if  not  impossible  of  realization,  because  of  the  lack  of 

204 


INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  205 

support  in  too  many  homes  and  because  of  the  presence  of 
low  standards  of  common  truthfulness  and  honesty  in 
relation  to  the  affairs  of  everyday  life. 

The  father  who  is  guilty  of  engaging  in  business  trans- 
actions which  are  not  strictly  fair  and  honorable  and  who 
thus  furnishes  to  his  own  son  an  example  of  dishonesty  and 
deceit,  adds  greatly  to  the  burden  of  the  teacher,  who  is 
striving  to  create  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  truthfulness 
and  honesty.  The  mother  who  is  such  a  slave  to  the  con- 
ventional forms  of  society  that  she  does  not  hesitate  to 
practice  deceit  or  to  sacrifice  permanent  principles  of  right 
for  temporary  popularity,  and  who  thus  leads  her  daughter 
to  conclude  that  genuine  character  is,  after  all,  of  little 
value,  does  her  part  to  make  a  school  sentiment  in  favor  of 
truthfulness  and  honesty  difficult  of  attainment.  It  is 
not  always  easy  to  teach  the  importance  of  truthfulness 
to  a  child  whose  parents  do  not  hesitate  to  attempt  to 
deceive  the  conductor  of  a  passenger  train  as  to  the  age  of 
the  child,  to  save  a  few  cents  in  railroad  fare.  When 
parents  teach  and  practice  the  theory  that  the  end  justifies 
the  means,  and  that  it  is  right  and  commendable  to  cheat  a 
business  corporation  because  its  methods  of  dealing  with  the 
public  are  presumed  to  be  dishonest  or  unfair,  it  should  not 
be  surprising  if  the  school  fails  sometimes  to  turn  out  a 
thoroughly  honest  and  reliable  product. 

In  too  many  instances  much  of  the  best  effort  of  teachers 
must  be  directed  to  the  elimination  of  false  standards  of 
truthfulness  and  honesty  taught  in  the  home  and  practiced 
in  society.  While  the  results  produced  by  such  effort  are 
important,  they  are  necessarily  of  a  negative  nature  and, 
therefore,  not  easily  measured  or  recorded.  There  is  no 


206  SCHOOL    SENTIMENT 

possibility  of  knowing  with  any  degree  of  accuracy  how 
much  of  untruthfulness  and  dishonesty  has  been  eliminated 
from  the  lives  of  adults  by  a  training  in  truthfulness  and 
honesty  in  the  lives  of  school  children,  made  possible  and 
effective  by  a  strong  school  sentiment  in  favor  of  these 
virtues.  Could  there  be  a  fuller  realization  of  what  the 
public  schools  accomplish  in  a  negative  way  in  character 
training,  there  would  be  a  higher  appreciation  of  their  work 
and  far  less  criticism  of  what  they  fail  to  do. 

The  distinction  between  right  and  wrong.  —  Teachers 
who  are  successful  in  cultivating  a  strong  school  sentiment 
for  truthfulness  and  honesty  are  always  careful  to  dis- 
tinguish closely  between  innocent  acts  of  mischief,  in  which 
all  normal  children  love  to  have  a  part,  and  guilty  deeds  of 
meanness  which  are  rare  under  normal  conditions.  The 
debates  which  are  so  often  held  in  teachers'  meetings,  or 
conducted  through  the  columns  of  educational  journals  on 
whether  children  should  tell  on  one  another  or  not,  usually 
entirely  ignore  this  important  distinction.  Wise  teachers 
never  inquire  too  closely  into  the  origin  of  many  school 
pranks  which,  in  no  great  degree,  if  at  all,  involve  any 
question  of  right  or  wrong  conduct.  Teachers  who  are 
always  "  holding  court "  and  conducting  investigations 
with  the  purpose  of  trying  to  ferret  out  all  the  mysteries 
in  which  children  in  common  with  adults  like  to  enshroud 
their  innocent  fun,  will  have  little  time  to  do  anything  else. 
In  many  instances,  the  foolish  determination  of  tactless 
teachers  to  find  out  all  about  all  the  details  of  everything 
which  happens  in  the  life  of  the  school  results  in  far  more 
harm  to  the  school  than  that  produced  by  the  alleged 
misdeeds  of  the  pupils  under  investigation. 


INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  207 

To  demand  that  children  shall  go  on  the  witness  stand 
to  testify  against  their  classmates  in  matters  of  little  mo- 
ment or  consequence  is  to  encourage  tattling,  which  should 
always  be  discouraged  and  which  should  usually  be  con- 
demned. To  encourage,  or,  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
even  to  permit  such  a  practice  in  school  is  to  train  for 
gossip  in  later  life.  Even  when  the  necessity  arises  of  in- 
vestigating the  acts  of  pupils,  teachers  should  strive  to 
avoid,  in  so  far  as  possible,  placing  them  in  a  dilemma  where 
they  must  decide  between  telling  the  whole  truth  and 
nothing  but  the  truth  about  something  of  really  little  vital 
importance  morally,  and  thereby  implicating  their  school- 
mates, or  withholding  the  truth,  or,  perhaps,  even  telling 
a  falsehood  to  shield  those  who  have  had  a  part  in  the 
matter  under  investigation. 

While  false  ideals  of  loyalty  may  at  times  exist  in  the 
minds  of  pupils,  it  must  never  be  forgotten  that  the  principle 
of  loyalty  to  one's  friends  is  fundamental  in  true  character. 
To  develop  this  principle  of  loyalty  to  friends,  along  with 
loyalty  to  truth  in  the  practice  of  the  principle,  is  often  a 
difficult  task  which  calls  forth  the  best  efforts  of  the  most 
tactful  teachers.  If  pupils  are  not  asked  to  tell  what  they 
know  about  the  origin  of  innocent  acts  of  mischief,  which 
in  no  way  involve  the  good  name  of  the  school  nor  violate 
any  moral  principle,  they  can  usually  be  relied  upon  to  tell 
the  truth  in  giving  all  the  information  they  possess  con- 
cerning any  act  of  wrongdoing  which  is  an  injury  to  the 
school  or  which  is  harmful  to  any  of  its  members. 

The  tactless  teacher.  —  On  the  playground  of  a  country 
school  at  the  opening  of  the  noon  hour,  an  interesting  as 
well  as  an  interested  group  of  boys  gathered  about  the 


208  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

leader  of  the  school.  This  leader  was  the  oldest  member 
of  the  group.  He  had  won  his  way  to  leadership  by  the 
exercise  of  the  same  qualities  of  character  as  win  success 
in  any  business,  calling,  or  profession  in  life.  He  was 
bright-minded,  true-hearted,  loyal-souled,  full  of  fun,  and 
ready  at  any  time  to  help  his  schoolmates.  More  than 
once  he  had  helped  to  fight  the  battles  of  some  of  the  smaller 
boys  when  they  had  been  subjected  to  the  impositions  which 
are  not  uncommon  in  the  lives  of  such  boys.  He  could 
always  be  relied  upon  in  the  hour  of  need.  He  had  never 
been  known  to  forsake  his  friends.  To  be  recognized  by 
him  as  worthy  of  membership  in  his  band  was  an  honor 
coveted  by  all  the  smaller  boys  who  were  eager  to  endure 
almost  any  degree  of  punishment  or  pain  which  might  be 
required  in  the  entrance  examination  to  the  privilege  of 
playing  with  the  larger  boys  who  had  the  confidence  of  the 
leader.  To  be  invited  by  him  to  join  his  party  on  an  ex- 
ploring expedition  in  the  fields  or  on  a  march  of  conquest 
through  the  woods  adjoining  the  school  grounds  brought 
a  thrill  of  pride  and  joy  to  all  who  were  fortunate  enough 
to  be  so  highly  honored. 

On  one  of  their  marches,  the  boys  had  the  good  fortune 
to  capture  a  small  owl.  Instantly  there  flashed  upon  the 
alert  mind  of  the  leader  the  possibilities  of  some  innocent 
fun.  Not  being  selfish,  he  was  anxious  to  share  his  vision 
with  the  other  boys.  Calling  them  about  him,  he  outlined 
his  rapidly  formed  plan  to  hide  the  owl  under  his  coat,  to 
take  it  into  the  schoolroom,  and  at  the  "  psychological 
moment,"  to  turn  it  loose.  Of  course,  this  bit  of  proposed 
mischief,  perfectly  innocent  and  legitimate,  forcefully 
appealed  to  the  boys,  all  of  whom  cheerfully  and  willingly 


INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  2OQ 

took  the  pledge  of  secrecy  and  solemnly  promised  not  to 
tell  how  the  owl  got  into  the  schoolhouse,  should  the  teacher 
be  foolish  enough  to  ask  any  questions.  With  joyful 
anticipation  of  what  they  all  hoped  the  near  future  had  in 
store  for  them,  the  boys  hurriedly  returned  to  the  school 
grounds  and  anxiously  awaited  the  call  to  books  with  an 
intense  longing  which  was  very  unusual  for  them.  When 
the  call  finally  came,  all  who  were  in  the  secret  entered  the 
schoolhouse  with  such  remarkable  promptness  and  in  such 
exceptional  order  as  would  have  aroused  the  suspicions  of  a 
really  tactful  teacher  and  would  have  caused  him  to  be  on 
the  alert  for  other  signals  of  warning.  One  of  these  signals 
of  warning  was  the  undue  haste  with  which  all  the  boys, 
who  knew  the  plan,  began  to  study  their  lessons.  Each 
one  seemed  suddenly  to  be  possessed  with  such  an  insatiable 
desire  to  prepare  his  lessons  as  would  admit  of  no  delay 
and  as  demanded  instant  satisfaction.  With  eyes  turned 
toward  their  books  but  with  many  expectant  side  glances 
about  the  room  and  with  ears  open  to  catch  the  slightest 
sound,  the  little  band  of  heroic  toilers  studied  on,  each 
moment  fondly  hoping  for  developments  full  of  intense 
interest  to  them.  After  a  few  minutes  of  "  watchful 
waiting  "  their  highest  hopes  were  realized.  The  owl,  freed 
from  its  temporary  prison  under  the  coat  of  the  leader, 
who  all  the  time  seemed  deeply  absorbed  in  the  study  of 
his  lesson,  fluttered  for  a  few  minutes  blindly  about  the 
room  and  then  quietly  settled  on  the  casement  of  a  window 
near  the  seat  of  one  of  the  smaller  boys  —  only  that  and 
nothing  more. 

And  there  would  have  been  nothing  more,  had  the  teacher 
kept  quiet.    A  perfectly  harmless  and  an  absolutely  quiet 

OUR  PUB.    S.  —  14 


210  SCHOOL    SENTIMENT 

owl  would  have  remained  in  perfect  silence  where  it  sat, 
and  a  group  of  fun-loving  boys  would  have  been  completely 
subdued,  had  the  teacher  shown  a  modicum  of  the  wisdom 
which  owls  are  reputed  to  possess.  But  the  teacher, 
determined  to  find  out  how  the  owl  got  into  the  school- 
room, at  once  started  on  an  investigation  which  he  vainly 
imagined  would  put  him  in  possession  of  that  really  useless 
information.  With  a  high  degree  of  solemnity  which  might 
well  characterize  a  judge  presiding  at  a  trial  in  which  a 
human  life  is  at  stake,  the  teacher  pointed  out  the  grievous 
wrong  which  had  been  committed  in  disturbing  the  peace 
of  the  school  by  bringing  an  owl  into  the  schoolroom.  He 
stated  his  purpose  to  discover  who  had  committed  this 
great  wrong.  He  then  proceeded  with  the  investigation  by 
calling  on  one  of  the  smallest  boys  in  the  guilty  group  to 
tell  whether  he  knew  how  the  owl  got  into  the  room.  This 
boy  was  thereby  at  once  placed  in  a  most  embarrassing 
position  in  which  a  serious  dilemma  confronted  him.  On 
the  one  hand  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  remain  loyal  to  the  leader 
of  the  school,  whom  he  loved,  and  to  whom  he  had  given 
his  solemn  promise  not  to  divulge  the  name  of  the  per- 
petrator of  the  innocent  mischief ;  on  the  other  hand  was 
the  demand  of  the  teacher  that  he  break  his  promise  to 
his  schoolmate  and  thus  prove  disloyal,  as  it  seemed  to 
him,  to  his  best  friend.  In  the  struggle  which  came  to 
him  in  making  the  decision  as  to  what  response  he  should 
give  to  the  teacher's  demand,  the  boy  was  influenced  by 
an  innate  sense  of  the  unfairness  of  the  teacher  who  had 
placed  him  in  such  a  trying  position.  He  replied  that  he 
did  not  know.  The  teacher  then  turned  to  another  boy 
and  asked  him  the  same  question.  It  will  be  evident  to 


INFLUENCE    OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  211 

every  one  that  this  second  boy  had  an  additional  reason 
for  not  telling  the  teacher  what  he  had  been  asked  to  tell. 
Not  only  was  he  influenced  by  his  idea  of  loyalty  to  his 
leader  and  by  the  remembrance  of  his  promise  not  to  tell, 
but  also  by  the  feeling  that  to  expose  the  first  boy,  who 
had  already  said  he  did  not  know,  would  be  an  act  of  un- 
pardonable meanness  on  his  part.  The  second  boy  also 
replied  that  he  did  not  know.  On  through  the  ranks  the 
teacher's  question  passed,  each  boy  being  asked  to  tell 
and  each  boy  replying  that  he  did  not  know.  Finally  the 
teacher  reached  the  leader  and  called  upon  him  to  testify. 
But  his  mind  was  so  deeply  centered  .upon  the  study  of  his 
lesson  and  his  attention  so  absorbed  in  this  deep  study  that 
he  did  not  hear  the  call.  The  teacher  again  called  him  by 
name  and  received  in  reply  a  surprised  "  What  sir !  " 
The  teacher  then  repeated  the  question  —  "  Do  you  know 
how  that  owl  got  into  the  schoolroom?  "  Imagine,  if 
possible,  the  consternation  of  that  group  of  boys  who, 
with  some  slight  pangs  of  conscience,  had  remained  true 
to  the  promise  made  to  their  leader  not  to  tell,  when  they 
heard  him  reply  to  the  question  which  they  had  declined 
to  answer,  in  a  clear  and  emphatic  "  Yes  sir." 

It  seemed  to  them  that  all  was  lost.  Visions  of  the 
infliction  of  punishment  to  which  teachers  of  the  type  of 
the  one  who  was  in  charge  of  this  school  so  often  resort, 
came  rapidly  to  their  minds.  Relief  soon  followed  and  in 
a  manner  fully  as  unexpected  as  the  shock  of  the  surprise 
due  to  the  answer  of  their  leader  that  he  knew  how  the 
owl  got  into  the  room.  With  a  high  degree  of  evident 
satisfaction  that  he  had  at  last  found  the  boy  who  would  tell 
him  all  about  the  mystery  of  the  owl's  presence,  the  teacher 


212  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

requested  the  leader  to  explain  that  mystery.  The  reply 
was  prompt  and  definite  and  most  satisfactory  —  to  the 
boys.  It  was  simply  this  —  "I  am  not  sure  but  I  think  it 
came  down  the  flue." 

It  is  possible  that  the  boys  may  have  done  wrong  in 
refusing  to  answer  truthfully  the  question  of  the  teacher. 
But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  chief  sinner  was  the 
teacher,  himself.  If  the  recording  angel  on  that  day 
entered  anything  upon  his  books  against  any  one,  it  is  safe 
to  presume  that  the  charge  of  wrongdoing  was  not  against 
the  boys  who,  at  least,  had  what  seemed  to  them  a  justi- 
fiable reason  for  their  action,  but  against  the  tactless  teacher 
who  had  not  the  slightest  excuse  for  asking  the  foolish 
question  which  was  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble. 

Another  and  better  way.  —  In  contrast  with  the  policy 
of  this  tactless  teacher,  who  was  at  least  indirectly  respon- 
sible for  any  deception  practiced  by  his  pupils,  attention  is 
called  to  another  experience  of  a  principal  of  schools  in 
dealing  with  another  group  of  fun-loving  boys.  This 
principal  always  spent  the  play  period  out  among  the  chil- 
dren on  the  playground.  He  was  there  not  as  a  policeman 
in  search  of  some  offender  whom  he  could  prosecute  and 
punish,  but  as  a  friend  who  loved  the  children  and  heartily 
sympathized  with  them  in  all  their  games  and  in  their 
fun. 

On  one  occasion  his  attention  was  called  to  a  group  of 
boys  who  had  retired  to  a  little  ravine  in  a  distant  corner 
of  the  schoolground  and  who,  with  heads  close  together, 
were  deeply  intent  upon  some  scheme  which  demanded  and 
received  their  undivided  attention.  As  the  principal  came 
near  the  group,  he  could  not  help  hearing  an  earnest  con- 


INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  213 

versation  which  revealed  not  only  the  source  of  their 
interest  but  also  their  future  plans.  One  of  the  boys  was 
the  happy  owner  of  the  works  of  an  old  clock  minus  the 
spring  which  controlled  its  movements.  When  the  clock 
was  wound  up,  the  energy  which,  when  under  control,  was 
slowly  used  through  a  period  of  several  hours,  in  the 
absence  of  the  controlling  spring,  was  exhausted  in  a  few 
seconds.  The  resulting  noise  was  such  as  to  bring  joy  to 
the  hearts  of  any  mischief-making  and  fun-loving  group  of 
boys.  One  of  the  boys  who  was  enjoying  the  thrill  of  this 
novel  experience  soon  realized  the  possibilities  for  fun 
which  the  apparatus  contained  and  proposed  to  another 
boy,  "  Jim  "  by  name,  who  sat  in  a  part  of  the  schoolroom 
distant  from  the  teacher's  desk  and,  therefore,  well  located 
for  action,  that  he  take  the  old  clock  with  him  into  the 
schoolroom  and  when  the  teacher's  back  was  turned  to 
the  school,  wind  it  up,  put  it  in  his  desk,  and  "  let  'er  go." 
This  valuable  suggestion  met  with  the  instant  and  hearty 
approval  of  all  the  boys,  who  also  united  in  a  promise  not 
to  tell  should  any  inquiries  follow. 

A  tactless  principal  would  have  felt  it  necessary  to  break 
up  such  a  band  of  conspirators  at  once  by  sending  them  all 
into  the  schoolroom  and  depriving  them  of  their  play  until 
such  time  as  they  might  come  into  a  full  realization  of  the 
enormity  of  the  crime  of  planning  mischief  and  standing 
together  in  maintaining  secrecy  regarding  the  execution 
of  their  plans.  The  boys  would  have  been  impressively 
informed  that  they  could  never  hope  to  make  such  plans 
without  being  discovered.  Fortunately  for  the  boys  and 
also  their  principal  he  was  not  tactless.  He  had  not  for- 
gotten how  thoroughly  he  enjoyed  fun  when  he  was  their 


214  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

age.  Because  he  still  remembered  his  own  boyhood  days, 
he  was  able  to  appreciate  the  motives  which  inspired  the 
plan  to  have  some  fun.  He  quietly  turned  away  from 
the  scene  with  joy  in  his  heart  that  he  had  boys  in  school 
whose  brains  were  active  enough  to  think  of  something 
original  and  with  delightful  anticipations  in  his  soul  of  the 
pleasure  which  would  be  his  in  the  near  future. 

When  the  school  bell  rang,  all  the  children  from  all  parts 
of  the  large  playground  instantly  responded  to  its  call. 
They  formed  in  straight  and  quiet  ranks  at  their  proper 
places,  marched  to  their  schoolrooms  and  seats  in  an 
orderly  manner,  and  entered  at  once  upon  the  preparation 
of  their  lessons.  A  good  judge  of  boy  nature,  even  without 
any  knowledge  of  their  plans,  would  have  readily  noted 
in  the  pious  looks  and  faultless  behavior  of  the  youthful 
conspirators,  as  they  entered  the  building  and  took  their 
seats,  a  suggestion  to  keep  an  eye  out  in  their  quarter.  To 
the  principal  who  knew  the  plans  and  what  was  certain  to 
occur  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  the  whole  situation  was 
intensely  amusing.  He  was  fully  as  anxious  to  play  his 
part  as  the  boys  were  to  play  theirs.  He  purposely  turned 
his  back  to  the  school  and  commenced  to  write  a  number  of 
arithmetical  problems  on  the  blackboard.  At  once  the 
boys  who  were  in  the  secret  signaled  to  "  Jim  "  that  the 
time  had  come  "  to  let  'er  go."  The  old  clock  was  wound 
up,  and  carefully  placed  in  his  desk  which  made  an  excel- 
lent sounding  board.  When  it  "  went  off/'  all  the  pupils 
in  the  room  except  the  "  conspirators  "  manifested  their 
intense  surprise.  Had  the  principal  been  ignorant  of  the 
source  of  the  noise,  a  hasty  glance  over  the  schoolroom 
would  have  revealed  the  location  of  the  disturbance  and 


INFLUENCE   OF   MORAL   SENTIMENT  215 

the  boys  who  were  responsible  for  it.  The  only  un- 
disturbed boys  in  the  room  were,  of  course,  those  who  knew 
all  about  the  scheme.  They  did  not  even  glance  up  from 
their  books.  Intense  interest  in  their  lessons  riveted  their 
attention  to  their  studies. 

The  principal,  however,  did  not  need  to  turn  his  face  to  the 
school.  He  simply  wrote  right  on  and  in  the  most  pleasant 
tone  of  voice,  said :  "  Jim,  please  bring  the  old  clock  in 
your  desk  and  place  it  on  my  desk."  Slowly,  "  Jim  " 
responded  to  the  call  to  come  to  the  front.  As  he  reached 
the  principal's  desk  with  his  rare  treasure  from  which  so 
much  had  been  expected,  he  was  met  by  the  principal  with 
a  cordial  smile  and  a  hearty  "  thank  you."  Not  a  word 
was  said  to  the  boys  to  throw  any  light  upon  the  great 
mystery  of  how  the  principal  knew  where  the  clock  was 
located;  no  criticism  of  any  kind  came  from  him.  He 
apparently  dismissed  the  whole  matter  from  his  mind. 
Had  he  been  the  tactless,  talking,  investigating  type,  he 
would  have  called  the  attention  of  the  entire  school  to 
what  he  had  discovered  at  the  play  period  and  would 
have  endeavored  to  impress  upon  all  the  pupils  how 
impossible  it  was  for  them  to  hope  to  escape  detection, 
should  they  attempt  to  play  any  pranks  of  any  kind. 
Such  an  explanation  would  have  been  most  pleasing 
to  "  Jim  "  and  his  associates,  who  left  the  schoolroom 
that  day  sadder  but  not  wiser.  In  their  confidential  con- 
ference which  soon  followed,  they  agreed  that  it  was  not 
worth  while  to  attempt  to  plan  mischief  in  that  school. 
In  their  ranks,  "  remember  the  .old  clock  "  became  a  slogan, 
the  mere  mention  of  which  was  sufficient  to  control,  in  a 
large  measure,  their  actions  when  mischief  came  up  for 


2l6  SCHOOL   SENTIMENT 

consideration.    The  tactful  principal  had  won  an  important 
victory  by  keeping  his  eyes  open  and  his  mouth  closed. 

A  difficult  problem.  —  To  create  and  to  maintain  in  the 
school  such  a  sentiment  for  truthfulness  and  honesty  as 
will  lead  boys  and  girls,  in  practicing  these  virtues,  to  live 
up  to  higher  ideals  than  are  found  in  many  homes,  is  indeed 
a  difficult  problem.  To  solve  such  a  problem  successfully 
means  incalculable  benefits  in  character  growth  to  boys 
and  girls.  It  demands  the  highest  type  of  truthfulness  and 
honesty  coupled  with  the  most  consummate  tact  and  skill 
on  the  part  of  teachers. 


COOPERATION 


XVI 

TEACHERS   AND   PUPILS 

AT  a  recent  meeting  of  the  representatives  of  the  big 
business  interests  of  the  United  States,  one  of  the 
leading  captains  of  industry  is  reported  to  have 
said  that  the  badge  of  sanity  in  the  business  world  of  to-day 
is  ability  to  cooperate. 

On  a  sign  hanging  in  front  of  a  small  restaurant,  located 
near  the  passenger  station  of  a  western  city,  is  the  following 
striking  announcement : 

"  Try  our  25-cent  meals.     If  you  don't  we'll  both  starve." 

Both  the  statement  credited  to  the  big  business  man  and 
the  advertisement  of  the  small  restaurant-keeper  recognize 
the  importance  and  necessity  of  cooperation  in  the  success- 
ful management  of  business  affairs. 

Mutual  helpfulness.  —  Even  in  the  material  and  in  the 
economic  world,  the  lesson  that  no  man  liveth  unto  himself 
is  being  slowly  but  surely  learned.  Selfishness  never  pays, 
while  the  spirit  of  helpfulness  to  others,  which  is  the  essence 
of  true  cooperation,  always  brings  in  large  returns  on  the 
investment  made. 

In  no  department  of  the  world's  work  is  there  greater 
need  of  cooperation  than  in  the  department  of  public 
education.  Here  the  child,  the  parent,  the  teacher,  the 
home,  the  community,  the  school  board,  and  all  the  other 
representative  interests  and  agencies  of  the  state  are 

219 


220  COOPERATION 

involved.  If  the  work  of  the  public  school  be  performed 
in  a  spirit  of  true  cooperation,  the  results  must  be  beneficial 
to  all.  If  this  spirit  of  cooperation  is  lacking,  the  school, 
the  home,  and  the  state  all  suffer  as  a  result. 

To  some  teachers  the  thought  of  cooperation  suggests 
little  more  than  the  importance  of  a  readiness  and  willing- 
ness on  the  part  of  parents  to  help  them  in  their  work  in  the 
daily  tasks  of  the  schoolroom.  While  such  help  is  both 
desirable  and  necessary,  it  cannot  be  secured  simply  for  the 
asking.  It  results  only  from  superior  work  done  by  the 
teacher  with  the  children  in  the  schoolroom.  The  one 
sure  way  to  secure  cooperation  from  the  forces  outside  of 
the  school  is  to  give  such  service  in  the  school  as  will  enlist 
the  attention,  interest,  and  commendation  of  fathers  and 
mothers  in  the  home,  and  of  citizens  in  the  community.  A 
well-taught  school  always  finds  a  good  advertising  medium 
in  its  pupils. 

A  young  teacher  was  worrying  over  some  of  the  diffi- 
culties, partly  real  and  partly  imaginary,  which  confronted 
him  in  his  work  in  a  country  school.  At  the  close  of  the 
week  he  walked  several  miles  to  his  home  to  consult  his 
former  teacher,  to  whom  he  was  indebted  for  all  that  he 
possessed  of  education  and  training  as  well  as  for  the 
inspiration  which  had  led  him  to  attempt  to  teach.  To 
this  sympathetic  friend  he  poured  out  his  heart  in  the 
relation  of  his  troubles  and  then  asked  him  for  advice  as  to 
what  to  do  under  the  circumstances  which  seemed  so  dis- 
couraging. The  advice  which  was  given  has  been  a  source 
of  real  help  and  encouragement  in  all  the  years  which  have 
followed.  It  is  recorded  here  in  the  hope  that  it  may  help 
others : 


TEACHERS   AND    PUPILS  221 

"My  boy,  go  back  to  your  school  determined  to  give  to  the  children 
who  attend  it  all  of  the  best  that  you  have.  Hold  back  nothing  in 
your  power  to  give,  and  always  remember  this :  if  you  will  take  care  of 
your  school,  your  school  will  take  care  of  you." 

That  schools  do  take  care  of  teachers  who  take  care  of 
their  schools  has  found  verification  in  the  experience  of 
thousands  of  teachers  who  have  been  successful  in  spite 
of  difficulties  which  have  seemed  insurmountable.  By 
giving  to  the  children  all  of  the  best  that  they  had,  the 
opposition  of  outside  faultfinders  has  been  overcome,  in- 
difference has  been  turned  into  active  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  the  schools,  and  success  has  been  won  where  defeat 
appeared  certain. 

What  is  meant  by  cooperation.  —  Since  cooperation 
with  the  pupils  is  not  only  essential  to  the  success  of  the 
school  but  is  also  the  only  means  of  enlisting  the  cooperation 
of  forces  outside  of  the  school,  it  is  very  important  to  deter- 
mine as  fully  as  possible  what  is  meant  by  such  cooperation 
and  by  what  means  it  is  most  readily  secured  and  main- 
tained. 

It  will  be  evident  to  all  who  have  given  this  important 
question  any  thoughtful  consideration  that  it  is  impossible 
to  cooperate  with  anyone  in  anything  without  an  abiding 
interest  in  the  welfare  and  work  of  the  one  with  whom  the 
cooperation  is  desired.  No  spasmodic  or  passing  interest 
will  answer.  Just  as  the  business  man  soon  learns  that 
success  necessitates  the  dedication  of  his  life  to  the  trans- 
action of  the  business  in  which  he  is  engaged  and  that 
nothing  must  be  permitted  to  interfere  with  constant 
devotion  to  the  work  which  confronts  him,  so  the  teacher 
who  secures  the  cooperation  of  the  pupils  and  thereby 


222  COOPERATION 

insures  the  success  of  the  school  must  never  allow  his  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  the  children  to  lag  nor  his  devotion  to  the 
school  to  decrease. 

On  a  hot  August  day,  a  member  of  a  township  board  of 
education  met  one  of  the  teachers  of  the  township  high 
school,  walking  quite  a  distance  from  the  interurban  car 
line  which  had  brought  her  from  her  home  in  the  adjoining 
city.  In  answer  to  the  suggestion  that  it  must  be  an  un- 
usually urgent  errand  which  brought  her  to  the  country 
on  such  a  day,  the  surprising  reply  was  made  that  she  was 
making  her  annual  trip  over  the  township  to  call  at  the 
homes  where  children  who  had  passed  the  county  examina- 
tion then  required  for  entrance  to  the  high  school  lived. 
When  it  was  found  that  it  had  been  decided  in  the  homes 
to  send  the  children  to  the  high  school,  she  expressed  her 
keen  appreciation  of  the  opportunity  which  would  soon 
be  hers  of  knowing  and  teaching  them.  If  parents  were 
undecided  about  sending  the  children  to  the  high  school, 
an  effort  was  then  made  to  show  them  the  value  of  a  high 
school  education  and  to  persuade  them  to  give  their  children 
an  opportunity  to  take  advantage  of  it. 

When  the  boys  and  girls  from  these  homes  entered  the 
high  school,  they  knew  that  in  this  teacher  they  had  a 
friend.  Many  of  them  would  never  have  gone  to  high 
school  at  all,  had  it  not  been  for  her  unselfish  service  in 
visiting  their  homes.  All  of  them  were  eager  to  cooperate 
with  the  teacher  whose  interest  in  their  welfare  made 
them  anxious  to  help  in  every  possible  way  to  make  the 
school  a  success. 

Instances  of  cooperation  secured  by  teachers  in  all 
grades  and  in  all  types  of  schools,  as  the  result  of  their 


TEACHERS  AND   PUPILS  223 

abiding  interest  in  the  welfare  and  work  of  their  pupils, 
might  be  multiplied  indefinitely.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is 
unfortunately  true  that  many  instances  might  also  be 
recorded  of  failure  to  attend  school  at  all,  or  to  remain  in 
school  after  starting,  or  to  do  successful  work  while  in 
school,  in  the  grades,  or  in  high  school,  or  in  college,  because 
of  a  lack  of  such  abiding  interest  on  the  part  of  teachers. 

Sympathy.  —  It  is  also  impossible  to  cooperate  with  any 
one  in  anything  without  a  genuine  sympathy  for  him  in 
the  experiences  through  which  he  may  be  passing  and  with 
him  in  the  work  which  he  is  attempting  to  do.  Such 
sympathy  is  more  than  pity,  commiseration,  or  con- 
dolence. It  is  a  "  feeling  corresponding  to  that  which 
another  feels."  It  means  that  attitude  of  mind  and  heart 
which  enables  teachers  to  enter  intelligently  into  the  life  of 
pupils,  to  understand  how  matters  look  to  them,  and  to 
comprehend  the  motives  which  lead  them  to  act  or  to  fail 
to  act.  Genuinely  sympathetic  teachers  know  what  it 
means  to  rejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice  and  to  weep 
with  them  that  weep.  Whether  they  teach  little  children 
in  the  elementary  school,  larger  boys  and  girls  in  the  high 
school,  or  more  mature  students  in  the  college  or  university, 
they  keep  constantly  in  mind  the  experiences  of  their  own 
childhood  and  youth.  And,  as  a  result,  they  never  lose 
the  feeling  corresponding  to  that  which  their  pupils  or 
students  feel. 

There  is  nothing  sentimental  about  genuine  sympathy. 
It  is  never  foolishly  indulgent.  It  does  not  pretend  to 
rejoice  when  there  is  no  occasion  for  ecstasy.  It  does  not 
weep  when  there  is  no  cause  for  tears.  It  never  leads 
teachers  to  do  for  pupils  or  students  what  they  should  do 


224  COOPERATION 

and  must  do  for  themselves  in  order  to  maintain  their  own 
self-respect  and  to  develop  their  own  powers.  Genuine 
sympathy  always  includes  a  proper  proportion  of  sense. 
It  is  justice  tempered  with  mercy  in  the  proper  amount 
and  applied  in  the  proper  quantity  at  the  proper  time. 

With  such  sympathy,  teachers  can  readily  find  their 
way  to  the  minds  and  hearts  of  those  whom  they  teach, 
and  thus  secure  that  cooperation  which  is  so  essential  to 
success.  Without  such  sympathy,  the  relation  of  teachers 
and  taught  must  always  be  lacking  in  that  frankness  and 
cordiality  upon  which  the  happiness  and  success  of  the 
school  so  largely  depend.  The  mutual  understanding  of 
teachers  and  pupils,  the  ready  obedience  of  pupils  to  the 
requests  of  teachers,  and  the  attention,  interest,  and  indus- 
try of  pupils  in  all  their  work,  found  in  well-taught  schools, 
are  all  characteristic  of  the  spirit  of  cooperation  resulting 
from  the  leadership  and  direction  of  teachers  of  genuine 
sympathy.  On  the  other  hand  much  of  the  misunder- 
standing, disobedience,  indifference,  inattention,  and  idle- 
ness, found  in  poorly  taught  schools,  can  be  traced  to  a 
lack  of  cooperation  resulting  from  a  lack  of  leadership  and 
direction  due  to  a  lack  of  genuine  sympathy  on  the  part  of 
the  teachers  in  charge  of  such  schools. 

Appreciation.  —  A  third  essential  factor  in  cooperation, 
which  is  the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  two  already  dis- 
cussed, is  sincere  appreciation.  Normal  individuals  of  all 
ages  and  conditions  love  to  have  their  successes  and  their 
efforts  to  succeed  recognized  and  appreciated.  Children 
in  the  elementary  schools  and  young  people  in  high  schools 
and  colleges  deserve,  need,  and  should  have  the  sincere 
appreciation  of  their  teachers  in  all  that  they  succeed  in 


TEACHERS   AND   PUPILS  22$ 

doing  well  and  in  all  that  they  earnestly  strive  to  do 
well. 

It  is  well  for  teachers  to  keep  constantly  in  mind  what 
they  owe  to  their  pupils,  without  whose  willingness  and 
readiness  to  cooperate,  it  would  be  impossible  for  them 
either  to  discipline  or  to  teach  their  schools.  To  realize 
the  large  part  which  the  pupils  of  the  school  have  in  its 
discipline  it  is  only  necessary  to  observe  what  takes  place 
on  the  playground  of  any  school  any  day  of  the  school  year. 

An  illustration  of  the  true  spirit  of  cooperation.  —  The 
recess  period  has  come  and  hundreds  of  boys  and  girls  go 
out  on  the  playground  to  engage  in  games  of  different  kinds. 
Everywhere  there  is  seen  intense  activity  mingled  with  keen 
interest  and  real  joy.  Over  in  one  corner  of  the  large  play- 
ground the  older  boys  are  playing  a  game  of  baseball  with 
the  intense  enthusiasm  so  characteristic  of  their  age. 
Just  as  the  playtime  draws  to  a  close,  on  all  hands  there  are 
indications  of  unusual  interest.  The  fielders  go  farther 
out  in  the  field;  the  basemen  become  more  alert;  the 
shortstop  gets  ready  to  spring  instantly  in  any  and  every 
direction.  A  glance  at  the  home-plate  reveals  the  cause 
of  all  the  commotion.  The  champion  batter  is  at  the  bat. 
The  manner  in  which  he  stands  and  sways  his  bat  tells 
plainly  that  he  is  determined  to  hit  the  ball,  perhaps  for  a 
home-run,  and  to  help  to  win  a  victory  for  his  side.  In  the 
pitcher's  box  is  another  boy,  whose  actions  clearly  prove 
that  he  is  determined,  if  possible,  to  throw  a  ball  which 
not  even  the  champion  batter  can  hit.  For  some  time  he 
goes  through  all  the  contortions  incident  to  winding  himself 
up.  Just  as  he  is  about  to  throw  the  ball,  which  he  hopes 
will  help  to  win  victory  for  his  side,  the  school  bell  taps. 

OUR   PUB.    S. 15 


226  COOPERATION 

The  ball  which  he  has  been  so  long  getting  ready  to  throw, 
quietly  drops  into  his  pocket.  At  the  call  of  the  bell,  which 
represents  the  authority  of  the  school,  he  and  the  other 
hundreds  of  boys  and  girls  on  the  playground  instantly 
leave  the  games  which  they  love.  Within  two  minutes 
they  have  quietly  marched  to  their  different  rooms,  are 
seated  at  their  desks,  and  are  busy  with  the  preparation  of 
their  lessons. 

No  finer  manifestation  of  the  true  spirit  of  cooperation 
can  be  found  anywhere  than  in  such  a  scene.  Uninterested, 
unsympathetic,  and  unappreciative,  indeed,  must  be  any 
teacher  who  can  witness  such  a  prompt  response  to  the 
call  of  the  school  without  renewed  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  his  pupils,  without  genuine  sympathy  for  them  in  all 
that  they  do,  or  without  sincere  appreciation  of  all  their 
efforts  to  make  possible  the  discipline  of  the  school. 

The  teacher's  dependence  upon  his  pupils.  —  Such  a 
manifestation  of  the  spirit  of  cooperation  on  the  part  of 
pupils  will  naturally  lead  any  considerate  teacher  to  a  full 
realization  at  all  times  of  what  he  owes  to  his  pupils,  and  to 
wonder  many  times  what  would  happen  if,  at  any  time,  for 
any  reason,  they  should  decline  to  leave  their  games  and 
return  to  their  studies,  when  the  call  comes.  How  helpless 
the  teacher  would  be  in  such  an  emergency !  There  are 
not  enough  policemen  in  any  district  to  drive  the  children 
from  the  playground  into  the  schoolroom,  if  they  should 
conclude  "  to  cooperate  "  in  defying  the  authority  of  the 
school.  Could  some  of  the  narrow- visioned  faultfinders  of 
the  work  of  the  public  schools  realize,  even  to  a  small 
degree,  what  this  spirit  of  cooperation,  which  exists  in  all 
good  schools  and  which  is  encouraged  by  all  good  teachers, 


TEACHERS   AND    PUPILS  227 

means  in  the  life  and  in  the  training  for  citizenship  of  the 
boys  and  girls,  their  captious  criticism  of  comparatively 
insignificant  details  would  be  turned  into  generous  com- 
mendation of  the  results  of  large  significance  secured  by 
the  schools. 

In  the  preparation  of  their  daily  lessons,  as  well  as  in 
their  willingness  to  respond  to  the  discipline  of  the  school, 
pupils  make  possible  successful  work  in  the  classroom. 
Sometimes  teachers  fail  to  recognize  this  fact.  Some 
teachers  spend  so  much  time  in  scolding  the  occasional 
pupil  who  has  a  poorly  prepared  lesson,  or  in  complaining 
about  an  occasional  recitation  which  has  not  measured  up 
to  the  ideal  standard  set  for  it,  that  no  time  is  left  to  indicate 
in  any  manner  the  genuine  appreciation  which  ought  to  be 
felt  and  expressed  for  lessons  well  prepared  and  recitations 
well  made.  Teachers  who  find  that  they  are  constantly 
irritated  by  what  a  small  minority  in  their  classes  fail  to  do 
in  the  preparation  or  recitation  of  their  lessons,  and  who 
are  never  pleased  with  what  the  large  majority  succeed 
in  doing  day  by  day  in  both  their  preparation  and  recitation, 
should  either  resign  or  reform.  The  chief  element  in  the 
reform  essential  to  the  success  of  such  teachers  is  the 
cultivation  of  the  ability  both  to  see  what  is  worthy  of 
sincere  appreciation  in  the  work  of  their  pupils  and  to 
express  this  appreciation  in  such  a  manner  as  to  call  forth 
the  best  efforts  of  those  whom  they  teach. 

All  teachers  of  experience  can  no  doubt  recall  instances 
of  good  results  of  appreciation  shown  by  them  for  the 
efforts  of  their  pupils.  They  know  something  of  the  joy 
which  accompanies  the  expression  of  such  appreciation  and 
of  the  pleasant  recollections  of  it  which  permanently  remain. 


228  COOPERATION 

Fortunate,  indeed,  are  teachers  who  have  no  occasion  to  recall 
experiences  of  an  opposite  nature,  which  have  resulted  in 
the  discouragement  and,  perhaps,  the  permanent  failure 
of  their  pupils.  That  teachers  should  unhesitatingly  per- 
form the  unpleasant  duty  of  chiding  pupils  for  a  failure 
to  do  their  work  well  and  then  neglect  an  opportunity  of 
expressing  their  approbation  of  a  decided  improvement  in 
their  work,  seems  so  strange  and  so  unreasonable  as  to  be 
unbelievable.  Yet,  that  such  actions  are  not  uncommon 
will  find  verification  in  the  experience  of  most  teachers. 

Approbation  better  than  faultfinding.  —  In  a  high  school, 
several  years  ago,  was  a  boy  who  possessed  the  not  un- 
usual combination  of  rare  ability  to  learn  together  with  a 
large  amount  of  the  inertia  of  rest.  Because  of  his  un- 
questioned ability  to  do  his  work  exceptionally  well  and 
his  apparent  lack  of  any  desire  or  ambition  to  do  it  at 
all,  this  boy  was  naturally  the  subject  of  much  discussion 
by  the  teachers  and  principal  of  the  high  school.  Failing 
in  their  efforts  to  make  any  impression  upon  him,  the 
teachers  referred  the  boy  to  the  superintendent  of  the 
schools,  who  was  thoroughly  informed  regarding  his  lack 
of  application  and  who  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  help 
the  teachers  in  their  attempt  to  arouse  him  to  a  realization 
of  his  opportunities  and  to  a  determination  to  go  to  work 
to  improve  them. 

An  appeal  was  made  to  the  boy  to  go  to  work,  to  improve 
his  time  and  his  opportunities  and,  as  a  result,  to  become 
the  leader  of  his  class,  which'  he  could  easily  do  by  proper 
application  and  study.  Coupled  with  this  appeal  to  his 
self-respect  was  the  suggestion  that  if  he  did  not,  of  his 
own  accord,  reform  his  habits  of  idleness  and  show  decided 


TEACHERS   AND   PUPILS  22Q 

improvement  in  his  work,  the  assistance  of  his  uncle  and 
guardian,  in  whose  home  he  had  lived  since  the  death  of 
his  father,  would  be  sought.  Neither  the  appeal  nor  the 
suggestion  seemed  to  have  any  effect,  and  in  due  time  the 
superintendent  kept  his  promise  by  performing  the  un- 
pleasant duty  of  calling  upon  the  uncle,  one  of  the  leading 
professional  men  of  the  community,  and  informing  him  of 
the  failure  of  his  nephew  to  do  his  school  work  in  a  satis- 
factory manner.  With  characteristic  promptness  and 
determination,  the  uncle  replied  that  he  would  attend  to 
the  matter  immediately  and  would  see  to  it  that  his  nephew 
did  his  work  as  it  should  be  done.  Good  results  soon 
followed.  The  boy  applied  himself  to  his  studies  and  soon 
became  as  conspicuous  for  good  recitations  as  he  had 
previously  been  for  poor  ones.  Teachers,  principal,  and 
superintendent  were  all  much  pleased  with  the  change  in 
the  boy's  attitude  toward  his  work,  and  were  encouraged 
to  know  that  the  visit  to  the  home  had  brought  such  desir- 
able results. 

The  astonishing  fact  connected  with  this  incident  is  not 
that  the  boy  improved  in  his  work  but  that  it  never  occurred 
to  the  superintendent  that  an  excellent  opportunity  to 
perform  a  most  pleasant  duty  awaited  him.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  months,  however,  the  existence  of  such  an  oppor- 
tunity was  called  to  his  attention  in  a  manner  never  to  be 
forgotten. 

On  a  Saturday  afternoon,  as  the  superintendent  was 
walking  up  the  street,  the  boy  in  question,  who  had  been 
doing  such  satisfactory  work  for  several  months,  met  him 
and  asked  for  a  conference  which  was  most  cheerfully 
granted.  The  conference  opened  with  a  statement  from 


230  COOPERATION 

the  boy  to  the  effect  that  the  superintendent  probably 
remembered  that  several  months  before  in  his  office  he 
had  had  a  meeting  with  him  at  which  the  boy's  poor  stand- 
ing in  school  had  been  discussed,  and  that  he  had  been  told 
that  unless  there  was  an  immediate  improvement  in  his 
work,  the  assistance  of  his  uncle  would  be  sought.  The 
superintendent  was  pleased  that  the  boy  remembered  the 
incident  and,  with  no  little  satisfaction,  replied  that  he, 
too,  distinctly  recalled  the  conversation  and  that  he  had 
visited  the  uncle  and  had  performed  the  unpleasant  duty, 
as  he  had  promised.  The  boy  then  asked  the  superin- 
tendent whether  he  knew  anything  about  the  character  of 
his  work  since  and,  if  so,  whether  any  improvement  had 
been  made  or  not.  To  this  question  the  superintendent 
was  glad  to  be  able  to  reply  that  he  was  fully  informed 
about  the  boy's  work  and  that  all  his  teachers  had  reported 
a  decided  improvement  in  all  his  studies.  At  this  point,  the 
boy  showed  marked  signs  of  deep  feeling  and  with  his  voice 
trembling  with  emotion  said : 

"  If  you  are  sure  that  I  am  doing  better  work,  would  you 
mind  going  and  telling  my  uncle?  " 

As  the  superintendent  hurried  away  from  that  conference 
to  call  again  on  the  uncle  to  perform  the  pleasant  duty  of 
telling  him  that  his  nephew,  concerning  whom  such  serious 
complaint  had  been  made  a  few  months  before,  because  of 
his  failure  to  do  his  school  work  in  a  satisfactory  manner, 
was  now  meeting  the  highest  expectations  of  his  teachers 
by  doing  his  work  well,  he  sorrowfully  wondered  why  he 
had  to  be  reminded  by  the  boy  of  the  fine  opportunity  which 
had  come  to  him  to  perform  a  pleasant  duty  by  doing  a 
gracious  act.  And  he  firmly  determined  that  in  the  future 


TEACHERS   AND   PUPILS  231 

he  would  constantly  try  to  be  on  the  alert  to  recognize 
and  improve  all  such  opportunities.  When  looking  for 
such  opportunities,  it  is  astonishing  how  many  of  them 
can  be  found,  how  greatly  burdens  are  lightened,  and  how 
much  more  efficient  life  becomes  by  an  expression  of  sincere 
appreciation  of  the  earnest  efforts  and  honest  work  of  others. 

Lack  of  feeling  prevents  appreciation.  —  The  failure  of 
so  many  people,  including  too  many  teachers,  to  express 
appreciation  of  earnest  effort  and  honest  work  is  due  to 
different  causes.  With  some,  no  appreciation  is  ever 
expressed  because  none  is  ever  felt.  And  none  is  ever  felt 
because  of  a  lack  of  any  capacity  to  feel.  Such  people 
pride  themselves  in  never  being  moved  to  feel  deeply  about 
anything  or  for  any  one.  They  pretend  to  believe  that  all 
feeling,  especially  the  expression  of  it,  is  a  sure  sign  of  in- 
tellectual weakness,  and  that  the  absence  of  all  expression 
of  appreciation  marks  them  as  superior  individuals.  The 
presence  of  such  people  anywhere  is  a  menace  to  the  happi- 
ness and  welfare  of  humanity.  To  permit  them  to  teach 
in  either  elementary  schools,  high  schools,  or  colleges  is  a 
crime  against  childhood  and  youth. 

A  much  larger  class  of  persons,  including  not  a  few 
teachers,  seldom,  if  ever,  indulge  in  expressions  of  appre- 
ciation of  any  one  or  for  anything,  largely  because  of  in- 
difference or  thoughtlessness,  both  of  which  are  closely 
related  to  selfishness.  They  have,  or  at  one  time  did  have 
both  the  capacity  to  feel  appreciation  and  the  desire  to 
express  it.  But  because  of  a  failure  to  cultivate  the 
capacity,  they  have  become  indifferent  to  the  encourage- 
ment which  they  can  give  to  others  and  to  the  happiness 
which  will  come  to  themselves  by  letting  their  apprecia- 


232  COOPERATION 

tion  be  known.  There  is  no  more  certain  way  to  dwarf 
the  soul  and  to  destroy  all  that  is  best  in  life  than  to  with- 
hold the  expressions  of  sincere  appreciation  which  the 
heart  feels  and  is  prompted  to  give.  On  the  other  hand  to 
cultivate  the  habit  of  giving  praise  to  whom  it  is  due,  when 
it  is  due,  is  to  cause  the  soul  to  grow  and  the  life  to  expand 
in  power  to  bless  both  those  who  receive  and  those  who  give. 
One  secret  of  success.  —  Teachers  of  real  power  are  never 
indifferent  to  their  opportunities  to  speak  the  word  of 
appreciation  and  encouragement,  which  means  so  much  to 
the  young  lives  under  their  direction.  They  are  never 
thoughtless  in  taking  advantage  of  such  opportunities. 
They  keep  selfishness  out  of  their  own  hearts  and  lives 
and  win  success  for  themselves  and  the  schools  which  they 
teach  by  acting  upon  the  advice  given  to  the  young  teacher 
as  recorded  in  the  opening  pages  of  this  chapter,  and  by 
unselfishly  giving  to  the  children  all  of  the  best  that  they 
have  in  an  abiding  interest  in  their  welfare  and  work,  in  a 
genuine  sympathy  for  them  in  all  that  they  do,  and  in  a 
sincere  appreciation  of  all  their  efforts  to  follow  the  leader- 
ship of  their  teachers  and  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
school. 


XVII 
MUTUAL   AID   AND    COMMON    AIMS 

WHILE  cooperation  should  begin  with  the  children 
in  the  school,  it  should  not  end  there.  In  all 
their  relations  with  one  another,  teachers 
should  at  all  times  be  actuated  by  a  desire  to  be  mutually 
helpful.  They  should  never  permit  themselves  to  become 
envious  of  the  success  of  others  nor  to  be  influenced  by 
the  petty  jealousies,  which  too  often  manifest  themselves 
in  their  ranks,  and  which  result  in  so  much  injury  both 
to  themselves  and  to  the  schools  which  they  teach.  Their 
relations  should  be  characterized  by  such  a  spirit  of  co- 
operation as  will  encourage  frankness  of  speech  to  each  other 
in  the  discussion  of  the  work  in  which  they  are  engaged 
and  discourage  all  captious  criticism  of  what  is  being  done. 
Teachers  should  not  criticize  each  other.  —  The  absence 
of  this  spirit  of  cooperation  sometimes  leads  teachers  to 
talk  about  one  another  in  an  unfriendly,  unprofessional  manner 
rather  than  to  each  other,  with  a  desire  to  be  mutually 
helpful.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  college  professors 
criticize,  in  a  most  caustic  manner,  the  work  of  high  school 
teachers,  and  teachers  in  the  high  school  complain  about 
the  poorly  prepared  pupils  promoted  from  the  grammar 
school,  and  so  on  down  the  line.  In  the  majority  of 
instances  such  criticisms  and  complaints  are  unjust  and, 
if  persisted  in,  are  usually  a  certain  indication  of  the  inferior 
teaching  ability  of  those  who  indulge  in  them,  and  who 

233 


234  COOPERATION 

hope,  thereby,  to  cover  up  their  own  deficiencies  and  short- 
comings. Even  where  there  is  any  justification  for  such 
criticisms  and  complaints,  it  usually  does  no  good  to  make 
them.  With  teachers  who  know  how  to  instruct  and  who 
are  characterized  by  the  true  spirit  of  cooperation,  poorly 
prepared  pupils  can  be  helped  to  overcome  their  deficiencies 
in  much  less  time  and  with  much  less  effort  than  are  often 
worse  than  wasted  in  finding  fault  with  the  work  of  their 
previous  teachers. 

Usually  teachers  who  have  the  right  attitude  toward 
their  work,  who  are  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  cooperation, 
and  who  do  not,  therefore,  try  to  excuse  their  own  defi- 
ciencies and  failures  by  laying  the  blame  on  others,  are 
never  inclined  to  complain  about  the  work  of  teachers  from 
whose  schools  their  pupils  have  been  promoted.  If,  how- 
ever, the  tendency  to  indulge  in  such  complaints  should 
manifest  itself,  all  that  is  ordinarily  needed  to  correct  it  is 
to  call  their  attention  to  the  readiness  with  which  they 
assented,  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  term  or  year,  to  the 
promotion  of  some  of  their  own  pupils,  who  were  not  any 
better  prepared  to  do  the  work  of  the  next  grade  or  class 
than  the  inadequately  prepared  pupils  who  have  been 
promoted  to  their  grade  or  class,  and  of  whom  they  have 
shown  a  tendency  to  complain. 

Cooperation  and  promotions.  —  It  is  in  the  promotion 
of  pupils,  as  well  as  in  their  treatment  after  they  have  been 
promoted,  that  the  presence  of  the  spirit  of  cooperation 
brings  such  beneficial  results,  and  its  absence  works  such 
serious  harm  to  both  pupils  and  teachers.  In  order  that 
justice  be  done  to  children  who  are  classified  as  dull  or  slow, 
it  is  exceedingly  important  that  all  the  teachers  who  come 


MUTUAL   AID    AND    COMMON   AIMS  235 

in  contact  with  them  shall  be  united  in  a  common  bond  of 
interest  in  them  and  sympathy  for  them. 

A  case  in  point.  —  Near  the  close  of  the  school  year,  a 
superintendent  of  schools  visited  the  different  buildings  to 
confer  with  the  principals  and  teachers  regarding  the 
promotion  of  pupils.  There  was  no  doubt  as  to  what 
should  be  done  with  the  majority  of  them,  since  their 
work  had  been  reasonably  well  done  and  they  were,  there- 
fore, reasonably  well  prepared  to  be  promoted  to  the  next 
grade.  A  few  pupils,  however,  presented  a  problem  for 
serious  consideration.  Their  work  had  not  measured  up 
to  the  reasonable  standard  set  for  promotion  and  there  was 
serious  doubt  as  to  whether  they  should  be  promoted  or 
not.  In  a  seventh  grade  two  pupils  of  this  type  were  the 
subject  of  discussion.  They  were  older  than  the  other 
children  in  their  class.  While  they  had  tried  hard  to  keep 
up  with  the  work  of  the  class,  they  had,  in  a  measure  at 
least,  failed  to  do  so.  What  should  be  done  with  them? 
To  mere  theorists  in  education,  who  know  nothing  of  the 
responsibility  which  accompanies  the  carrying  out  of 
theories,  such  a  question  seems  easy  to  answer.  But 
hundreds  of  capable  and  conscientious  teachers  can  testify 
to  the  perplexity  which  has  come  to  them  when  they  have 
tried  to  decide  what  should  be  done  under  such  conditions. 
After  a  full  discussion  of  the  different  phases  of  the  question, 
the  superintendent  asked  the  teacher  of  the  two  pupils 
under  consideration  what  she  thought  should  be  done  with 
them.  She  had  had  them  under  her  direction  for  a  year. 
She  knew  not  only  the  character  of  their  work,  but  what 
was  of  far  greater  importance  in  making  a  decision,  she  also 
knew  the  character  of  their  effort  to  do  the  work.  Being 


236  COOPERATION 

an  intelligent  teacher  she  was  also  well  informed  as  to  the 
requirements  of  the  eighth  grade,  which  the  pupils  would 
be  expected  to  meet  should  they  be  promoted.  With  all 
this  information  to  guide  her  in  coming  to  a  conclusion, 
she  unhesitatingly  replied  that,  considering  the  age  of  the 
pupils  and  the  other  factors  entering  into  the  problem,  she 
was  certain  that  they  would  derive  more  benefit  from  going 
on  to  the  eighth  grade  than  from  being  kept  back  in  the 
seventh  grade  for  another  year,  and  for  this  reason  alone, 
they  should  be  promoted.  The  superintendent  imme- 
diately directed  that  the  pupils  should  be  promoted  as  the 
teacher  had  recommended,  and  was  greatly  surprised  to 
have  her  state  that  she  could  not  consent  to  it.  On  being 
asked  why  she  could  not  consent  to  carrying  out  her  own 
recommendation,  the  teacher  reluctantly  replied  that  she 
could  not  endure  the  caustic  criticism  of  the  eighth-grade 
teacher  to  whom  the  pupils  would  go,  if  they  were  pro- 
moted, and  who  would  constantly  complain,  both  in  school 
and  out,  of  their  lack  of  preparation  and  of  the  inferior 
work  of  the  teacher  who  had  consented  to  their  promotion. 
While  it  may  be  possible  that  the  preceding  incident 
illustrates  in  an  extreme  manner  the  harmful  results  of 
the  lack  of  the  spirit  of  cooperation  of  one  teacher,  it  is 
feared  that  many  similar  incidents,  differing  only  in  degree, 
can  be  found  in  the  record  of  the  experience  of  school 
administration.  As  long  as  the  slightest  trace  of  such  a 
spirit  as  was  manifested  by  this  eighth-grade  teacher 
remains  with  any  teacher  in  any  grade,  the  complete 
cooperation  which  is  essential  to  the  success  of  a  system 
of  schools  is  impossible.  While  teachers  should  never 
be  excused  for  poor  work  due  to  a  lack  of  effort  on  their 


MUTUAL  AID   AND   COMMON  AIMS  237 

part,  and  should  be  held  to  strict  accountability  for  the 
reasonable  preparation  of  their  pupils  for  the  work  of  the 
next  grade  or  class,  when  reasonable  requirements  have 
been  met  and  promotions  have  been  made  in  the  belief 
that  the  best  interests  of  the  pupils  promoted  have  been 
conserved,  then  the  true  spirit  of  cooperation  demands  that 
all  carping  criticism  shall  cease. 

Undesirable  if  not  worthless.  —  All  teachers,  in  either 
elementary  schools  or  high  schools,  who  are  not  willing 
to  be  controlled  by  such  a  spirit  of  cooperation  and  who 
thereby  prove  that  they  are  incompetent  to  work  in  har- 
mony with  other  teachers,  should  be  eliminated  as  dis- 
turbing factors  in  the  administration  of  the  schools  with 
which  they  are  connected. 

Waste  of  time  and  energy.  —  In  recent  years  much  has 
been  said  on  the  subject  of  waste  in  education.  Attention 
has  been  repeatedly  called  to  the  large  amount  of  material 
found  in  some  of  the  textbooks,  especially  in  arithmetic 
and  geography,  which  has  little  if  any  value  of  any  kind 
for  anyone.  In  many  instances  eliminations  have  been 
made  with  benefit  to  pupils,  who  are  thereby  given  more 
time  to  master  the  essentials  of  the  studies  pursued,  and 
also  to  teachers,  who  are  thereby  relieved  from  giving 
attention  to  a  mass  of  unimportant  details,  and  are  enabled 
to  concentrate  their  attention  upon  the  presentation  of 
the  things  of  fundamental  importance.  Attention  has  re- 
peatedly been  called  to  the  great  importance  of  lesson  plans 
carefully  prepared  by  teachers  for  use  in  the  classroom, 
with  the  definite  purpose  of  utilizing  all  the  time  of  each 
recitation  in  the  most  profitable  manner.  While  such 
methods  of  eliminating  waste  and  economizing  time  are  to 


238  COOPERATION 

be  commended,  it  is  possible  that  teachers  may  become 
so  engrossed  in  formulating  plans  to  carry  these  methods 
into  execution,  in  their  own  grades  or  classes,  as  to  lose 
sight  of  the  larger  waste  which  so  often  results  from  a  lack 
of  cooperation  with  the  other  teachers  with  whom  they 
are  associated. 

In  some  of  the  large  universities,  with  their  numerous 
colleges  and  over-organized  departments,  and  with  the 
teaching  of  the  different  professors,  assistant  professors, 
instructors,  fellows,  and  student  helpers  so  minutely 
specialized  that  the  same  things  are  not  infrequently  pre- 
sented under  different  names,  there  often  exists  a  large 
and  inexcusable  waste  of  energy,  time,  and  money  due  to 
a  duplication  of  work.  In  the  elementary  schools,  however, 
the  opposite  condition  prevails.  In  these  schools  the 
teachers  are  not  specialists.  Their  work  is  to  present  the 
elements  of  knowledge  to  beginners,  and,  by  means  of  line 
upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept,  here  a  little  and  there 
a  little,  to  teach  the  fundamentals  upon  which  all  future 
education  must  depend.  In  the  elementary  schools, 
therefore,  the  waste  is  not,  as  a  rule,  due  to  the  duplication 
of  work  found  in  the  universities,  but  to  a  lack  of  coopera- 
tion of  the  teachers  in  the  different  grades  or  classes  in 
emphasizing  and  re-emphasizing  with  sufficient  drills  and 
re-drills  the  fundamental  things  which  can  be  learned  by 
the  vast  majority  of  children  in  no  other  way. 

It  is  the  business  of  second-grade  teachers,  not  only  to 
advance  the  children  a  little  farther  in  their  education, 
but  also  to  see  to  it  that  the  tools  of  learning  placed  in  their 
hands  by  the  first-grade  teachers  are  so  intelligently  and 
persistently  used  as  to  insure  skill  in  their  use.  Third- 


MUTUAL   AID   AND    COMMON   AIMS  239 

grade  teachers  must  never  conclude  that,  when  the  little 
section  of  the  course  of  study  specially  assigned  to  them 
has  been  taught,  their  whole  duty  has  been  performed. 
The  work  of  previous  teachers  must  be  carefully  reviewed 
in  order  that  the  pupils  may  be  given,  by  means  of  daily 
practice,  still  greater  accuracy  in  their  knowledge  of  essen- 
tials and  still  greater  proficiency  in  the  use  of  such  knowl- 
edge. Teachers  of  all  grades  or  classes  should  recognize 
not  only  the  importance  of  teaching  well  the  new  subject 
matter  outlined  for  their  pupils,  but  also  the  necessity  of 
perfecting  in  so  far  as  possible  the  knowledge  and  under- 
standing of  the  subjects  previously  studied  by  their  pupils. 
In  some  schools  the  results  of  the  failure  of  teachers  to 
cooperate  in  this  manner  are  apparent  in  the  pupils'  lack  of 
thoroughness  and  accuracy  in  the  subjects  studied.  It 
is  not  uncommon  to  find  that  the  knowledge  of  phonetics, 
a  most  important  and  usually  a  well-taught  subject  in  the 
primary  grades,  is  permitted  to  lapse,  because  of  a  failure 
to  make  any  practical  use  of  it,  with  the  result  that  all 
that  has  been  once  learned  is  practically  entirely  forgotten 
and  later  on  has  to  be  taught  all  over  again. 

Thoroughness  in  arithmetic.  —  The  inaccuracies  in 
arithmetic,  which  are  too  common  and  too  numerous,  and 
which  result  in  a  large  waste  of  time,  are  in  many  instances 
the  direct  result  of  a  lack  of  persistent  practice  in  the  use 
of  the  four  fundamental  operations,  due  to  a  false  pre- 
sumption of  teachers  that,  since  their  pupils  have  already 
been  taught  to  add,  subtract,  multiply,  and  divide,  that 
work  has  been  completed  and  there  is,  therefore,  no  need 
of  giving  it  any  further  attention.  The  philosophy  of  such 
teachers  seems  to  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  small  boy  who, 


240  COOPERATION 

not  being  in  love  with  the  requirements  of  his  music  teacher 
that  he  must  devote  a  great  deal  of  time  to  practicing 
each  day,  asked  his  mother  whether  his  father,  a  prominent 
member  of  the  bar,  was  a  real  lawyer  or  not.  On  being 
informed  that  he  was,  the  boy  at  once  asked,  "  Then  why 
does  he  have  to  practice?  " 

Persistent  attention  to  the  use  of  good  language.  —  It 
is  generally  admitted  that  the  results  of  language  teach- 
ing are  not  satisfactory.  Notwithstanding  the  elaborately 
planned  and  frequently  well-taught  courses  of  study  in 
English  in  elementary  schools,  high  schools,  and  colleges, 
in  too  many  instances  the  pupils  and  students  who  graduate 
from  high  school  or  college,  or  both  high  school  and  college, 
are  unable  to  speak  or  to  write  with  a  reasonable  degree 
of  grammatical  accuracy  or  to  show  any  marked  ability 
in  the  use  of  their  mother  tongue.  While  a  part  of  the 
failure  in  language  work  is  undoubtedly  due  to  a  type  of 
teaching  found  in  too  many  schools,  which  is  so  technical 
that  it  is  lifeless  and,  therefore,  of  no  real  value,  the  unsatis- 
factory results  secured  are  much  more  frequently  due  to  a 
lack  of  cooperation  in  carrying  out  the  course  of  language 
study  prescribed  in  the  elementary  grades,  and  to  the  in- 
difference of  many  high  school  and  college  teachers  to  the 
work  which  the  special  teacher  of  English  is  earnestly 
attempting  to  do.  In  no  subject  is  there  greater  need  of 
persistent  practice  to  insure  satisfactory  results  than  in 
language,  and  in  the  teaching  of  no  subject  is  there  a  greater 
lack  of  the  cooperation  absolutely  necessary  to  secure 
such  persistent  practice,  than  is  often  found  in  the  teach- 
ing of  language. 

Departmental    instruction.  —  For    many    years    depart- 


MUTUAL  AID   AND   COMMON  AIMS  241 

mental  teaching  has  been  the  rule  in  high  schools.  In 
more  recent  years  it  has  also  come  into  use  in  many  gram- 
mar schools.  With  the  advent  of  junior  or  intermediate 
high  schools  has  come  a  large  extension  of  this  type  of 
teaching.  In  many  systems  of  schools  the  work  of  one 
teacher  with  all  the  pupils  in  all  their  studies  ends  with 
the  sixth  grade.  While  there  are  many  arguments  in 
favor  of  such  departmental  work,  there  are  still  some 
thoughtful  and  successful  teachers  and  superintendents 
who  have  not  yet  been  convinced  that  its  introduction  be- 
low the  high  school  is  advisable.  Whatever  difference  of 
opinion  may  exist  on  this  question,  there  can  be  no  disagree- 
ment as  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  the  cooperation  of 
teachers  who  have  charge  of  the  departmental  work  in 
schools  of  any  grade  or  type,  if  the  best  results  are  to  be 
secured.  To  secure  and  to  maintain  such  cooperation 
constitutes  the  most  serious  problem  which  confronts 
those  who  direct  such  teaching. 

The  natural  tendency  of  all  special  or  departmental 
teachers  is  to  magnify  the  importance  of  the  subjects  which 
they  teach,  and  to  minimize  the  importance  of  the  subjects 
taught  by  all  other  teachers  associated  with  them.  The 
inevitable  result  of  this  tendency,  if  not  directed  or  con- 
trolled by  wise  and  firm  supervision,  is  that  the  teacher  of 
each  subject  will  claim  more  than  a  fair  proportion  of  the 
time  and  energy  of  pupils  in  the  preparation  of  lessons 
assigned  by  him.  If  all  the  teachers  persist  in  making  such 
claims  and  are  equally  strong  in  enforcing  their  demands, 
many  pupils  are  soon  so  overwhelmed  with  the  unreasonable 
amount  of  work  required  of  them  that  they  become  either 
discouraged  or  indifferent.  If  some  teachers  are  more 

OUR  PUB.    S. l6 


242  COOPERATION 

reasonable  than  others  in  the  claims  which  they  make, 
or  are  less  dogmatic  in  enforcing  their  claims,  they  soon  find 
their  own  work  slighted  by  the  pupils.  To  make  the 
problem  still  more  difficult,  it  is  sometimes  true  that 
departmental  teachers  resent  any  supervision  of  their 
work,  because  of  the  ridiculous  assumption  that,  since 
they  have  a  special  knowledge  of  the  subjects  which  they 
teach,  they  must  not  submit  to  any  advice  or  direction  in 
their  teaching.  In  many  universities  will  be  found  fully 
matured  representatives  of  this  type  of  pedagogical  bigots, 
and  in  some  of  the  larger  high  schools  less  mature  but  not 
less  conceited  representatives  can  also  be  found. 

An  interesting  example.  —  In  departmental  teaching 
it  is  highly  important  that  the  teachers  of  different  subjects 
shall  recognize  the  intimate  relation  which  these  different 
subjects  often  bear  to  one  another  and,  therefore,  be  ready 
at  all  times  to  cooperate  in  their  teaching  by  frequent 
consultations  with  reference  to  their  work.  In  some 
schools,  teachers  of  Latin  and  English,  for  example,  attempt 
to  do  their  work  as  though  these  subjects  were  in  no  way 
related,  when,  in  fact,  they  should  be  closely  related  in  their 
presentation.  Examples  of  the  harmful  results  of  the  lack 
of  cooperation  in  teaching  these  important  subjects  are 
too  numerous.  One  illustration  is  recorded  here. 

A  young  man,  who  had  just  graduated  from  a  large  high 
school  of  good  standing,  who  was  a  good  student,  and  who 
had  taken  the  four  years'  course  in  Latin  and  the  full  course 
in  English,  consulted  a  friend  with  reference  to  the  meaning 
of  the  word  "  pertinacious."  He  was  referred  to  the  dic- 
tionary. In  a  few  minutes  he  reported  that  he  was  sur- 
prised to  find  that  "  pertinacious,"  as  he  pronounced  it, 


MUTUAL  AID   AND   COMMON   AIMS  243 

meant  holding  on  to  an  opinion  or  purpose  with  obstinacy 
or  "  sticking  to  it,"  while  he  had  thought  it  meant  about 
the  same  as  "  pertinent. "  When  asked  whether  "  per- 
tinacious "  was  the  correct  pronunciation,  he  replied  that 
he  had  not  thought  of  the  pronunciation  and,  of  course, 
he  had  not  observed  it,  when  looking  for  the  meaning  of  the 
word.  Further  inquiry  revealed  the  fact  that  he  had  also 
failed  to  pay  any  attention  to  the  derivation  of  the  word 
from  the  Latin,  which  he  had  studied  for  four  years.  An 
interesting  conference  followed  in  which  the  young  man's 
attention  was  called,  apparently  for  the  first  time,  to  the 
long  list  of  adjectives  such  as  pertinacious,  rapacious, 
sagacious,  and  tenacious,  which  are  pronounced  with  the 
long  sound  of  "a,"  and  whose  corresponding  nouns,  per- 
tinacity, rapacity,  sagacity,  and  tenacity,  are  pronounced 
with  the  short  sound  of  "  a."  The  use  of  the  dictionary  in 
finding  the  root  meaning  of  words  was  also  pointed  out  and 
the  derivation  of  many  English  words  from  the  Latin 
was  discussed.  The  young  man  showed  intense  interest 
in  both  the  pronunciation  of  words  and  their  derivation, 
and  most  generously  expressed  his  appreciation  of  what  he 
had  learned  about  them  in  the  conference.  The  friend 
could  not  help  wondering  what  his  teachers  of  Latin  and 
English  had  been  doing  all  the  four  years  they  had  taught 
the  boy  in  the  high  school.  Certainly  they  had  not  co- 
operated in  their  work  in  such  a  manner  as  to  interest  him 
in  some  of  the  things  of  fundamental  importance  in  the 
study  of  both  languages,  or  to  teach  him  what  every  student 
ought  to  know  thoroughly,  viz. :  how  to  use  a  dictionary 
with  intelligence  and  purpose. 

Importance  of  united  effort. —  The  frequent  grade  meetings 


244  COOPERATION 

held  by  and  for  the  teachers  of  elementary  schools  usually 
furnish  abundant  opportunity  for  the  discussion  of  the 
many  problems  of  common  interest  to  all  of  them,  and  by 
means  of  such  discussion,  for  the  cultivation  of  the  spirit 
of  cooperation  which  generally  characterizes  their  work. 
It  is  unfortunately  true,  however,  that  the  higher  up  we 
go  in  education,  the  less  there  seems  to  be  of  the  spirit  of 
mutual  helpfulness  among  teachers.  In  some  high  schools 
its  absence  is  much  more  in  evidence  than  its  presence,  while 
in  many  colleges  there  is  little  or  no  attempt  by  the  pro- 
fessors to  work  together  for  the  common  good  of  the 
students. 

Teaching  in  one-room  country  schools  has  in  recent  years 
been  the  subject  of  much  investigation.  The  lack  of  united 
effort  on  the  part  of  many  of  the  teachers  of  these  schools 
to  work  together  for  their  betterment,  due  in  many  in- 
stances to  a  lack  of  proper  supervision,  has  been  frequently 
pointed  out  and  severely  criticized.  It  is  a  mistake,  how- 
ever, to  assume  that  the  country  schools  are  the  only 
schools  which  need  investigation,  or  whose  teachers  lack 
in  making  united  effort  for  their  improvement.  In  effect, 
there  are  many  "  one-room  "  schools  located  in  large  high 
school  and  college  buildings  and  taught  by  teachers  with 
as  little  interest  in  what  is  going  on  in  other  classrooms 
in  the  same  building  and  with  as  little  concern  as  to  the 
general  welfare  of  their  students  as  can  possibly  be  charged 
to  the  most  indifferent  teacher  of  a  one-room  school  in  the 
country. 

Supervision  and  cooperation.  —  Many  benefits  result 
from  wise  supervision  of  schools.  Perhaps  the  greatest 
of  all  these  benefits  is  found  in  the  cultivation  of  the  spirit 


MUTUAL   AID   AND   COMMON   AIMS  245 

of  cooperation  which  such  supervision  always  seeks  to 
create  and  to  maintain  among  the  teachers  under  its 
direction.  In  no  schools  is  this  supervision  more  greatly 
needed  than  in  secondary  schools  and  higher  institutions 
of  learning,  many  of  whose  teachers  are  recent  graduates 
of  colleges,  with  little  or  no  experience  in  teaching  or 
knowledge  of  methods  of  presenting  to  their  students  the 
subject  matter  with  which  they  may  or  may  not  be  reason- 
ably familiar.  Unfortunately,  there  is  less  direction  of  the 
work  of  teaching  in  these  schools  than  in  any  other.  Per- 
haps after  the  reform  of  the  country  schools,  now  attract- 
ing and  receiving  so  much  attention  from  educators,  has 
been  completed  in  a  reasonable  measure,  and  the  teachers 
of  these  schools  have  been  led  to  recognize  the  importance 
of  cooperation  with  the  pupils  whom  they  teach  and  with 
one  another,  some  attention  can  be  given  to  the  schools 
higher  up. 

In  recent  years  in  a  few  instances  teachers  have  organized 
to  make  demands  upon  superintendents  and  boards  of 
education.  With  threats  either  direct  or  implied  they  have 
declared  war  upon  all  agencies  which  will  not  grant  their 
demands  and  have  vowed  vengeance  upon  any  one  who, 
for  any  reason,  failed  to  agree  with  their  theories  or  to 
indorse  their  practices.  In  neither  the  method  nor  the 
purpose  of  such  organizations  is  there  anything  of  the  true 
spirit  of  genuine  cooperation.  The  domineering  dogmatism 
which  so  often  characterizes  the  activities  of  those  who 
promote  such  organizations,  and  who  insist  upon  directing 
their  policy,  is  convincing  proof  that  personal  preferment 
is  their  main  object.  On  the  other  hand  when  the  true 
spirit  of  cooperation  characterizes  teachers,  selfish  ends 


246  COOPERATION 

are  in  a  large  measure  lost  sight  of  in  an  earnest  desire  to  be 
mutually  helpful  for  the  common  good  of  all. 

Instead  of  organizing  to  make  arbitrary  demands  for 
advancement  in  position  or  increase  in  salary,  teachers 
should  cooperate  to  give  more  efficient  service  and  thereby 
to  merit  the  recognition  which  usually  brings  both  advance- 
ment in  position  and  increase  in  salary  to  those  who  deserve 
them.  Whatever  may  be  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the 
"  strike  "  as  a  means  of  securing  the  rights  of  labor  in  its 
contest  with  capital,  the  work  of  teaching  is  such  that  those 
who  engage  in  it  can  never  afford  to  resort  to  the  methods 
sometimes  used  by  "  strikers  "  to  secure  recognition. 

All  really  professional  teachers  are  characterized  by  a 
keen  sense  of  what  is  right  and  proper  in  their  relations  with 
one  another.  They  are  careful  never  to  violate  either  the 
letter  or  the  spirit  of  that  fine  Professional  Courtesy  which 
avoids  even  the  appearance  of  seeking,  either  directly  or 
indirectly,  positions  rightfully  belonging  to  others.  "  An 
officially  declared  vacancy  with  no  possibility  of  reflecting 
the  present  incumbent  "  is  the  only  condition  under  which 
self-respecting  teachers  will  permit  themselves  to  be  con- 
sidered as  applicants  for  a  position  which  has  been  filled  by 
another  teacher. 

The  Golden  Rule.  —  In  1879  the  Ohio  State  Teachers' 
Association  appointed  a  committee,  with  instructions  to 
report  a  Code  of  Professional  Ethics  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Association.  In  accordance  with  these  instructions, 
at  the  next  meeting  held  in  Chautauqua,  N.  Y.,  July  7-8, 
1880,  Honorable  W.  D.  Henkle,  chairman  of  the  committee, 
announced  that  while  there  was  no  formal  report  prepared 
for  presentation,  "  for  himself  he  thought  a  sufficient  code 


MUTUAL   AID    AND    COMMON   AIMS  247 

was  embodied  in  the  Scriptural  Injunction  stated  either 
affirmatively  or  negatively,  "  Do  unto  others  as  you  would 
have  them  do  unto  you/'  or,  "  Do  not  unto  others  as  you 
would  not  have  them  do  unto  you." 

All  teachers  who  are  imbued  with  the  true  spirit  of  co- 
operation will  readily  give  assent  to  this  Code  of  Ethics. 
The  Golden  Rule  of  conduct  formulated  by  the  Great 
Teacher  is  the  only  basis  of  that  genuine  cooperation  which 
eliminates  selfishness  and  insures  success. 


XVIII 
THE   HELP   OF   THE   HOME 

SUCCESS  of  teachers  in  cooperating  with  childreh  in 
the  discipline  and  work  of  the  school  and  with  one 
another  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  highest  welfare 
both  of  the  school  and  of  the  community  in  which  the  school 
is  located,  is  the  one  sure  foundation  upon  which  to  build 
cooperation  with  patrons.  Unless  teachers  can  and  do 
prove  their  real  worth  by  working  successfully  with  the 
children  in  their  daily  tasks  and  by  working  harmoniously 
with  one  another  in  everything  that  pertains  to  the  highest 
and  best  interests  of  the  schools  which  they  have  been 
elected  to  serve,  they  have  no  right  either  to  ask  or  to  ex- 
pect the  cooperation  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  whose 
children  they  teach.  But  when  teachers  do  prove  their 
worth  by  proving  their  ability  to  cooperate  with  their 
pupils  and  with  one  another,  then  they  should  have  and,  in 
the  majority  of  instances,  they  will  have  the  hearty  coop- 
eration of  the  homes  of  the  community. 

Teachers  should  be  leaders.  —  In  securing  this  much 
desired  cooperation  without  which  the  fullest  measure  of 
success  is  impossible,  it  is  important  that  teachers  should 
realize  that  it  is  always  their  privilege  and  usually  their 
duty  to  take  the  initiative.  Teachers  cannot  afford  to 
rest  upon  any  such  false  idea  of  dignity  as  will  lead  them  to 
await  the  coming  of  parents  to  announce  that  they  are 
ready  to  cooperate  in  making  the  school  a  success.  Par- 

248 


THE   HELP    OF    THE   HOME  249 

ents  naturally  look  to  the  teachers  of  their  children  for  a 
positive  manifestation  of  that  friendly  spirit  which  attracts 
other  kindred  spirits  and  which  is  an  essential  characteris- 
tic of  teachers  who  really  desire  to  work  with  the  people  of 
a  community,  through  the  schools,  for  the  advancement  of 
the  highest  and  best  interests  of  all.  If  teachers  would 
have  friends,  they  must  show  themselves  genuinely  friendly. 

Boarding  around  not  without  its  advantages.  —  Few 
teachers  are  now  living,  who  have  had  actual  experience  in 
"  boarding  around  "  which,  in  the  earlier  days,  was  a  com- 
mon custom.  While  this  custom  undoubtedly  had  some 
features  which  were  not  highly  desirable,  it  did  provide  an 
opportunity  for  teachers  to  gain  an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  home  life  of  both  the  children  and  their  parents, 
and,  by  means  of  such  acquaintance,  to  open  up  the  way 
for  cooperation  between  the  home  and  the  school. 

While  teachers  are  no  longer  compelled  to  visit  homes,  as 
in  the  past,  for  boarding  purposes,  all  teachers  whose  de- 
sire for  cooperation  leads  them  to  appreciate  the  importance 
of  a  knowledge  of  the  home  conditions  of  their  pupils  wel- 
come every  opportunity  which  presents  itself  for  home 
visitation.  Fortunate  are  those  teachers  who  are  able  to 
visit  homes  with  both  pleasure  and  profit  to  themselves  as 
well  as  to  the  children  and  their  parents.  The  results  which 
often  follow  such  visits  are  of  the  immeasurable  variety. 
Some  of  us  can  still  recall  the  delight  which  came  to  us  as 
children,  when  a  loved  teacher  came  to  our  home  to  take 
supper.  If  perchance  he  stayed  all  night,  remained  for 
breakfast,  and  permitted  us  to  walk  to  school  with  him  in 
the  morning,  enough  joy  was  stored  up  to  last  for  weeks  or 
months.  More  than  one  individual  can  trace  a  determina- 


250  COOPERATION 

tion  to  get  an  education  to  such  a  home  visit  from  a  friendly 
teacher. 

Friendliness  and  hospitality.  —  Unfortunately,  the  in- 
creasing formalism  which  now  characterizes  social  life, 
especially  in  towns  and  cities,  renders  less  frequent  the 
invitations  of  parents  to  teachers  to  accept  the  hospitality 
of  their  homes.  Because  of  this  condition,  the  children 
whose  home  life  creates  the  greatest  need  for  the  intimate 
friendship  of  their  teachers,  are  often  entirely  deprived 
of  it.  It  is  always  difficult  to  secure  the  cooperation  of 
the  home  when  the  parents  are  the  victims  of  the  extreme 
formalities  which  sometimes  characterize  social  usage.  If 
such  parents  could  only  realize  how  much  good  they 
could  do  themselves,  their  children,  the  teachers  of  their 
children,  the  school,  and  the  community  by  opening 
their  homes  and  their  hearts  to  the  teachers,  they  would 
hasten  to  extend  to  them  every  courtesy  and  consideration 
within  their  power.  By  so  doing,  they  would  experience 
a  joy  which  is  unknown  to  all  who  live  selfish  and  exclusive 
lives.  Fortunately  there  still  remain  in  all  communities 
some  homes  in  which  teachers  are  always  welcome  guests. 
In  such  homes  will  always  be  found  parents  whose  greatest 
pleasure  is  to  cooperate  with  the  teachers  of  their  children 
in  every  movement  which  has  for  its  purpose  the  betterment 
of  the  schools. 

To  some  of  the  poorer  homes,  representatives  of  which 
can  be  found  in  nearly  all  communities,  a  visit  from  an  in- 
terested and  sympathetic  teacher  will  often  come  as  a  bene- 
diction to  the  parents.  Such  a  visit  will  usually  reveal  to 
the  teacher  rare  opportunities  for  giving  such  help  as  will 
secure  the  cooperation  which  is  so  much  needed  in  order 


THE   HELP   OF   THE   HOME  251 

that  the  school  may  be  enabled   to  render  the  highest 
service. 

What  one  teacher  did.  —  Into  a  high  school  located  in 
the  center  of  a  mining  region,  came  a  young  woman  who 
had  been  employed  to  teach  the  important  subject  of  domes- 
tic science.  She  was  well  equipped  in  knowledge  and  by 
training  secured  in  an  excellent  school  from  which  she  had 
graduated.  In  addition  to  her  knowledge  and  training, 
she  possessed  two  qualifications  absolutely  essential  to 
success  in  her  work.  One  of  these  qualifications  was  an 
unusual  supply  of  good  common  sense  which  caused  her 
to  realize  that  her  teaching  of  domestic  science  must  be 
adapted  to  the  conditions  and  needs  of  the  homes  from 
which  her  pupils  came.  The  other  qualification  was  a 
consuming  desire  to  be  really  helpful  in  her  teaching.  She 
was  anxious  to  serve  not  only  the  girls  whom  she  had  an 
opportunity  to  teach,  but  through  her  teaching  of  them  to 
do  all  in  her  power  to  improve  the  home  life  of  the  com- 
munity. Within  a  few  weeks  after  the  opening  of  school, 
practically  all  the  homes  that  had  girls  in  the  high  school 
were  visited.  When  possible  the  visits  were  so  timed  as  to 
give  the  teacher  an  opportunity  to  gain  some  knowledge 
of  the  kind  of  food  eaten  and  some  idea  of  how  it  was  pre- 
pared and  served.  With  that  rare  tact  known  only  to 
the  teachers  who  are  endowed  with  an  abundance  of  com- 
mon sense  and  who  are  fully  possessed  by  a  consuming  desire 
to  be  really  helpful,  she  soon  gained  entrance  into  the  hearts 
as  well  as  the  homes  of  the  parents.  The  majority  of  these 
parents  were  of  foreign  birth.  They  were  living  in  accord- 
ance with  the  customs  of  the  countries  from  which  they 
came  and  were  in  sad  need  of  some  influence  to  direct  them 


252  COOPERATION 

to  better  things.  As  a  result  of  the  visits  of  the  teacher,  the 
confidence  of  the  parents  as  well  as  that  of  the  children  was 
won  to  such  an  extent  that  she  could  talk  freely  to  both 
parents  and  children  about  their  home  life.  Having  secured 
definite  information  as  to  the  kind  of  food  used  in  the  home 
and  of  the  changes  necessary  in  cooking  it  in  order  that  it 
might  be  made  more  palatable  and  more  healthful,  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  reforms  necessary  in  housekeeping  to 
make  the  home  life  more  desirable,  the  teacher  taught  do- 
mestic science  to  the  girls  in  such  a  manner  as  to  give  them  a 
usable  knowledge  of  how  best  to  cook  the  kind  of  food  served 
in  their  own  homes  and  of  how  best  to  keep  house  in  the 
midst  of  the  surroundings  in  which  they  lived.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  knowledge,  they  gained  from  their  teacher  as 
well  as  from  her  teaching  something  of  still  greater  impor- 
tance than  the  knowledge  itself.  This  was  a  determination 
to  use  their  knowledge  in  their  homes  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  improve  the  cooking  of  food  furnished  and  to  make  their 
homes  more  attractive  in  every  way.  The  superintendent 
of  schools  in  the  community  in  which  this  high  school  is 
located  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  many  of  the 
homes  have  been  completely  transformed  as  the  result  of 
the  cooperative  spirit  manifested  by  the  teacher  of  domestic 
science.  It  is,  perhaps,  needless  to  add  that  the  parents  in 
these  homes  are  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  school  and  are 
always  ready  to  cooperate  in  every  possible  way  to  help 
the  teacher  in  her  work. 

Teachers  may  help  the  homes.  —  To  all  teachers  there 
comes  in  a  greater  or  less  degree  an  opportunity  to  manifest 
a  spirit  of  cooperation  by  leaving  the  narrow  path  marked 
out  by  mere  necessity  and  by  going  out  of  the  way  to  do  for 


THE  HELP    OF   THE   HOME  253 

their  pupils  and  the  homes  from  which  they  come  something 
which  is  not  required  by  the  letter  of  the  contract  that 
teachers  are  usually  expected  to  sign.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered however,  that  to  depart  from  mere  formal  require- 
ments, in  order  to  gain  entrance  to  the  hearts  and  homes  of 
parents,  always  involves  much  additional  work  by  teachers. 
But  it  is  additional  work  which  always  brings  in  large  returns 
and  which  invariably  secures  cooperation  from  parents. 
The  domestic  science  teacher  might  have  taught  cooking 
and  homemaking  to  the  girls,  as  it  is  too  often  taught  in 
schools,  with  no  reference  to  the  needs  of  the  community. 
It  would  have  required  less  effort  to  begin  the  work  in  the 
routine  way  than  to  visit  the  homes  in  order  to  gain  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  needs.  The  teaching,  however,  was  made 
more  effective  in  its  results  by  the  extra  effort  made  in  the 
beginning  to  discover  the  needs  which  should  in  a  measure, 
at  least,  always  determine  the  character  of  the  teaching. 
And  the  cooperation  of  the  home  secured  by  this  extra  effort 
of  the  teacher  made  possible  the  success  of  the  teaching. 
Home  standards  should  be  maintained.  —  Insistence 
that  teachers  should  take  the  initiative  in  the  work  of  secur- 
ing the  cooperation  of  parents,  and  that  they  should  go  out 
of  their  way,  if  necessary,  to  show  a  personal  interest  in  the 
homes  from  which  their  pupils  come,  does  not  signify  that 
parents  have  no  responsibility  to  assume  in  connection 
with  the  education  of  their  own  children  or  in  relation  to 
the  success  of  the  school  which  their  children  attend.  Upon 
all  parents  there  rests  a  responsibility  which  cannot  be 
evaded  or  neglected  without  serious  loss  to  their  children 
and  to  the  school.  No  teacher,  however  faithful  in  the  per- 
formance of  her  duties  or  however  sympathetic  with  her 


254  COOPERATION 

pupils,  can  entirely  fill  the  place  of  the  parents  in  the  life  of 
the  child.  No  school  however  efficient  can  fully  take  the 
place  of  the  home. 

It  is  impossible  not  to  view  with  regret  and  anxiety  the 
present  tendency  to  turn  over  to  the  public  schools  more 
and  more  of  the  moral  as  well  as  of  the  physical  and  intel- 
lectual education  and  training  of  children,  and,  thereby, 
to  require  teachers  to  assume  more  and  more  of  the  respon- 
sibility which  many  homes  no  longer  seem  willing  to  carry. 
While  this  tendency  seems  quite  complimentary  to  the 
public  schools  and  their  teachers,  it  is  an  indication  of  a 
letting  down  of  home  standards,  which  is  not  at  all  com- 
plimentary to  the  home.  Neither  is  it  encouraging  to  the 
school,  because  in  the  majority  of  instances  homes  that 
evade  the  responsibility  which  rightfully  belongs  to  them 
fail  to  give  cooperation  to  the  teachers  to  whom  they  have 
attempted  to  transfer  all  the  responsibility  connected  with 
the  education  and  training  of  their  children.  The  less 
parents  do  for  their  own  children  in  the  home  the  less  they 
are  willing  to  do  to  help  the  teachers  of  the  schools 
which  their  children  attend.  It  is  highly  important  for  the 
welfare  of  all  concerned  that  recognition  be  given  to  the 
fact  that  there  are  some  duties  belonging  to  the  home 
which  cannot  be  delegated  to  any  school,  and  which,  if 
neglected  by  the  home,  must  remain  unperformed,  to  the 
lasting  injury  of  child  life  and  to  the  serious  detriment  of 
the  highest  and  best  interests  of  society  and  the  state. 

The  home  has  its  responsibilities.  —  There  is  a  general 
agreement  that  it  is  well  to  keep  the  public  school  buildings 
open  for  the  use  of  both  the  children  and  their  parents  for 
longer  periods  each  day  and  for  many  more  days  of  the 


THE   HELP    OF   THE   HOME  255 

year  than  has  usually  been  customary  in  the  past.  But  an 
attempt  to  substitute  the  school  for  the  home  as  an  abiding 
place,  or  to  substitute  the  teacher  for  the  father  and  mother 
in  assuming  entire  responsibility  for  the  training  of  children 
is  not  to  be  commended.  It  is  always  unwise,  to  say  the 
least,  for  the  school  to  attempt  to  compete  with  the  home 
in  the  performance  of  duty  for  which  the  home  should  be 
held  primarily  responsible.  If  parents  make  no  attempt 
to  control  their  children  outside  of  school,  they  have  no 
right  to  expect  the  teachers  to  do  what  they,  as  parents, 
have  neglected  or  failed  to  do.  If,  as  the  result  of  the  failure 
of  parents  to  secure  obedience  from  their  children  outside 
of  school,  the  children  spend  their  time  in  pool  rooms,  dance 
halls,  and  other  places  of  questionable  character,  the  school 
should  not  be  expected,  required,  or  permitted  to  introduce 
into  school  either  during  school  hours  or  in  the  evening  at 
the  schoolhouse,  card  games,  pool  tables,  and  dancing  in 
order  to  counteract  the  evil  influence  outside  of  school,  re- 
sulting from  the  indifference  of  parents  to  the  welfare  of 
their  own  children.  If  questionable  games  and  practices 
are  to  be  introduced  into  the  activities  of  the  school  in 
order  to  protect  children  from  outside  temptations,  we  may 
well  inquire  what  is  to  be  the  outcome  of  such  a  policy.  If 
the  policy  of  substituting  the  school  for  the  home  be  per- 
sisted in,  a  little  later  on  we  may  expect  some  reformer  to 
propose  the  building  of  schoolhouses  which  can  be  utilized 
as  apartments  for  the  family.  In  such  buildings  the  parents 
as  well  as  the  children  could  spend  all  their  time  under 
the  care  and  direction  of  teachers.  By  such  a  plan  all  re- 
sponsibility would  be  transferred  from  the  home  to  the 
school,  and  parents  would  thereby  be  relieved  of  all  care. 


256  COOPERATION 

Moreover  the  public  schools  have  no  right  to  introduce 
into  the  life  of  the  children  who  attend  them  any  activities 
or  practices  which  do  not  meet  with  the  approval  of  a  large 
number  of  parents,  because  of  conscientious  scruples  against 
such  activities  and  practices.  The  schools  have  always 
been  most  careful  not  to  interfere  in  the  slightest  degree 
with  the  religious  opinions  or  convictions  of  anyone  by 
teaching  sectarianism  in  any  form.  It  is  equally  important 
that  the  schools  be  just  as  careful  not  to  sanction  games, 
amusements,  or  practices  concerning  the  moral  influence  of 
which  there  exists  an  honest  difference  of  opinion  among 
parents. 

High  school  pupils  and  special  privileges.  —  The  sug- 
gestion is  sometimes  made  that  while  pupils  below  the  high 
school  should  not  be  permitted  to  indulge  in  such  games, 
amusements,  or  practices  in  the  evenings  at  the  schoolhouse, 
because  they  should  be  in  their  homes  under  parental  con- 
trol and  in  bed  early  to  secure  needed  sleep,  high  school 
pupils  should  be  released  from  such  parental  control  and 
should  find  in  the  schoolhouse  in  the  evenings  an  opportu- 
nity to  gratify  their  social  desires  and  instincts.  From  such 
suggestions  as  this  come  some  of  the  greatest  difficulties 
which  at  present  confront  the  high  school.  One  of  the  most 
serious  hindrances  to  the  best  work  in  high  schools  is  found 
in  the  harmful  indulgences  granted  to  children  outside  of 
school  hours  by  foolish  parents  who  seem  to  be  suffering 
from  the  delusion  that  boys  and  girls  of  high  school  age 
should  no  longer  be  subjected  to  any  restraining  influences 
in  the  home,  but  should  be  continually  entertained  and 
amused.  Teachers  are  constantly  told  that  high  school 
boys  and  girls  must  not  be  overworked.  Many  parents 


THE  HELP   OF   THE  HOME  257 

need  to  be  told  in  such  a  manner  as  to  lead  them  to  take 
heed,  if  such  telling  be  possible,  that  these  same  boys  and 
girls,  whose  rapidly  growing  bodies  require  not  only  plenty 
of  food  and  exercise,  but  also  an  abundance  of  sleep  in  order 
that  they  may  grow  physically,  mentally,  and  morally 
strong,  must  not  be  over-indulged  and  "  over-societied " 
while  out  of  school.  At  no  time  in  the  life  of  children  are 
home  restraints  and  firm  parental  control  more  greatly 
needed  than  during  high  school  age.  If  parents  would 
wisely  exercise  such  control  of  their  children  and  would 
administer  wholesome  discipline  in  the  home  when  needed, 
there  would  never  be  any  occasion  for  asking  the  school  to 
save  their  children  from  evil  influences  outside  of  school. 

In  the  so-called  lower  walks  of  life,  parents  are  sometimes 
cited  to  appear  in  court  where  they  are  required  to  give  bond 
as  a  guarantee  that  they  will  properly  care  for  their  children. 
There  are  good  reasons  to  believe  that  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  court  should  be  extended  so  as  to  include  some  parents . 
higher  up  in  the  social  scale  who  admit  their  failure  to  care 
properly  for  their  children  by  asking  the  public  schools  to 
provide  for  their  oversight  both  in  school  and  out  of  school, 
by  night  as  well  as  by  day. 

The  public  school  should  be  a  mighty  agency  for  good 
in  every  community.  —  It  should  enter  sympathetically 
into  the  life  of  children  whenever  and  wherever  possible. 
It  should  constantly  give  the  pupils  who  attend  it  that  train- 
ing in  respect  for  authority  and  in  obedience  to  law  which 
is  so  essential  to  growth  in  character  and  so  fundamental  in 
good  citizenship.  It  should  do  all  that  can  be  done  to 
arouse  interest  in  study  and  to  make  pupils  happy  in  their 
work.  It  should  join  with  the  home  in  providing  at  proper 

OUR  PUB.    S.  —  17 


258  COOPERATION 

times  and  under  favorable  conditions  wholesome  entertain- 
ment and  amusement  for  both  children  and  adults.  It 
should  cooperate  in  every  possible  way  with  the  home  in 
surrounding  children  both  in  school  and  out  of  school  with 
such  influences  as  will  develop  and  conserve  all  that  is  best 
in  life  and  character.  But  in  doing  all  this,  the  public  school 
cannot  take  the  place  of  the  home.  Unless  the  home  per- 
forms the  duties  incumbent  upon  it,  boys  and  girls  of  school 
age  must  suffer  as  a  result.  Unless  parents  do  their  duty 
in  the  home  and  thereby  cooperate  with  the  teachers  in  the 
school  in  giving  the  proper  training  to  the  rising  generation, 
it  is  unreasonable  to  censure  the  school  for  the  inferior 
product  which  is  certain  to  result  from  a  lack  of  such  coop- 
eration. 


XIX 

COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS 

THE  attitude  of  parents  toward  teachers,  as  well  as 
the  treatment  of  parents  by  teachers,  is  an  im- 
portant factor  in  determining  whether  or  not  co- 
operation shall  characterize  the  relations  existing  between 
them.  If  the  home  is  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of  the 
school,  there  is  little  hope  of  cooperation  between  parents 
and  teachers.  If  the  home  is  in  sympathy  with  the  school 
and  is  willing  to  help  the  teachers  in  their  work,  cooperation 
is  certain  to  follow.  There  are  many  ways  in  which  the 
home  can  help  the  school  and  thereby  show  a  willingness 
on  the  part  of  parents  to  cooperate. 

Attitude  of  parents  toward  teachers. — In  the  first 
place  the  home  can  help  the  school  by  a  clear  realization, 
together  with  a  definite  recognition  of  the  fact  that,  in 
aims  and  purposes,  their  mission  is  one  and  the  same. 
This  mission  is  the  development  of  all  that  is  highest  and 
best  in  life  and  character.  In  the  home  the  children  should 
always  be  led  to  think  of  their  teachers  as  friends  who  are 
anxious  to  help  the  parents  in  securing  what  is  best  for  their 
children.  It  is  encouraging  to  think  that  in  the  majority 
of  instances  the  relations  between  home  and  school  and 
parents  and  teachers  are  growing  more  cordial.  But  it  is 
sad  to  relate  that  there  are  still  too  many  instances  of  a 
lack  of  this  cordial  relationship  which  is  so  essential  to  the 
success  of  the  school, 

259 


260  COOPERATION 

Mistakes  of  parents.  —  A  few  years  ago  in  one  of  the 
smaller  towns  of  the  middle  west,  a  visitor  was  taking  an 
evening  walk.  A  short  distance  ahead  of  him,  a  small 
boy  was  playing  on  the  sidewalk.  A  shrill  voice,  pitched 
in  a  high  key  and  belonging  to  some  one  inside  of  the  adjoin- 
ing house,  sternly  commanded  the  boy  to  stop  playing  and 
to  come  into  the  house.  This  voice  at  once  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  visitor  but  it  had  no  effect  on  the  boy, 
who  no  doubt  heard  the  call  which  he  certainly  did  not 
heed.  The  voice  from  the  inside  of  the  house  grew  louder 
and  harsher  in  repeating  the  command.  But  the  boy 
played  right  on,  apparently  indifferent  to  any  call  from  any 
source.  Suddenly  a  woman  —  undoubtedly  the  mother  — 
emerged  from  the  door  with  broom  in  hand.  In  an  angry 
and  excited  manner,  she  addressed  the  boy  : 

"  You  won't  mind  me,  won't  you?  Well,  you  just  wait 
till  next  September,  when  I'll  start  you  to  school,  and  then 
I  guess  you'll  catch  it !  " 

Occasionally  thoughtless  parents  try  to  frighten  their 
children  into  obedience  by  telling  them  that  some  wild 
animal  will  devour  them,  if  they  do  not  do  what  they  are 
told  to  do.  Sometimes  even  the  fear  of  the  devil,  himself, 
is  aroused  in  the  minds  of  children  to  help  in  securing  good 
behavior.  But  this  fond  mother  had  so  far  advanced  in 
her  methods  of  parental  control  that  she  was  able  to  re- 
nounce all  such  inferior  helps  and  to  call  to  her  aid,  several 
months  in  advance,  the  prospective  teacher  of  her  dis- 
obedient boy  in  an  attempt  to  secure  home  discipline. 
With  such  home  preparation  as  this  mother's  treatment  of 
her  boy  furnished,  he  would  enter  school  with  the  feeling 
that  his  teacher  was  an  enemy  to  be  feared  and  shunned, 


COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS     261 

rather  than  a  friend  to  be  honored  and  loved.  With  such  a 
feeling  in  the  heart  of  the  boy,  the  teacher's  effort  to  win 
his  confidence  would  be  useless.  Not  until  all  such  feeling 
was  eradicated  could  the  teacher  hope  to  exercise  a  whole- 
some influence  in  his  life  or  to  direct  his  work  in  a  satis- 
factory manner. 

What  the  home  can  do.  —  The  home  can  also  help  the 
school  in  the  important  work  of  discipline  —  that  discipline 
which  teaches  respect  for  rightly  constituted  authority 
and  obedience  to  wholesome  regulations  —  that  discipline 
which  produces  good  behavior  and  which  results  in  good 
character.  No  sane  person  doubts  the  necessity  of  such 
discipline  in  the  training  of  children.  The  occasional  plea 
of  sentimental  theorists  that  in  this  progressive  age  no 
discipline  of  any  kind  is  needed,  can  well  be  ignored  by 
both  parents  and  teachers.  To  come  in  contact  with  a 
"  modern  "  child  reared  under  the  direction  of  a  "  modern  " 
mother  who  has  applied  the  "  modern  "  theory  that  no 
discipline  is  essential  to  the  development  of  character  will 
convince  any  one  of  the  absurdity  of  such  a  claim.  A  brief 
visit  to  a  school  in  which  pupils  are  permitted  to  do  as 
they  please  will  usually  serve  to  arouse  pity  for  the  pupils 
who  are  the  helpless  victims  of  the  resulting  disorder, 
together  with  contempt  for  the  teacher  who  is  primarily 
responsible  for  it. 

Corporal  punishment.  —  The  intelligent,  tactful  teacher, 
whose  head  is  clear,  heart  warm,  and  will  strong,  can  usually 
succeed  in  discipline  without  resorting  to  corporal  punish- 
ment in  any  form.  In  the  past,  in  too  many  instances,  such 
punishment  has  been  inflicted  without  reason  or  excuse  by 
ignorant,  indifferent,  or  brutal  teachers  with  uncontrollable 


262  COOPERATION 

tempers,  whose  only  hope  of  subduing  their  pupils  was  by 
such  a  constant  manifestation  of  physical  force  as  kept  the 
children  in  a  state  of  perpetual  fear.  The  frequent  use 
of  the  rod  in  either  the  home  or  the  school  is  always  a  sign 
of  weakness  on  the  part  of  the  parent  or  the  teacher  who 
resorts  to  such  use.  The  less  frequent  use  of  the  rod  in 
both  home  and  school,  as  compared  with  the  past,  is  an 
indication  that  parents  and  teachers  are  becoming  wiser, 
more  humane,  and,  therefore,  more  competent  to  direct 
the  young  lives  committed  to  their  care. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that,  as  a  result  of  a  better 
understanding  of  child  nature  and  of  a  wiser  and  more 
humane  treatment  of  children,  the  rod  has  been  banished 
in  a  large  measure  from  all  well-directed  homes  and  well- 
managed  schools,  it  is  not  wise  for  either  parents,  teachers, 
or  boards  of  education  to  announce  that  under  no  cir- 
cumstances will  corporal  punishment  be  inflicted  or  per- 
mitted. To  make  such  an  announcement  is  the  best  way 
to  encourage  the  occasional  outlaw  —  and  there  are  usually 
a  few  representatives  of  this  class  even  in  the  best  com- 
munities —  to  indulge  in  such  acts  of  disobedience  and 
insubordination  as  can  be  properly  met  only  by  the  punish- 
ment which  has  been  prohibited.  The  surest  way  to  make 
corporal  punishment  necessary  is  to  advertise  that  it  will 
never  be  administered. 

Threats  and  promises.  —  It  is  related  that  in  the  South- 
land a  negro  farmer  at  one  time  missed  several  chickens 
from  his  hen  house.  On  another  occasion  two  shoats  mys- 
teriously disappeared  from  their  pen.  To  determine,  if 
possible,  the  source  of  these  thefts,  he  seated  himself  one 
night  at  a  good  point  of  observation,  and  with  shot  gun  in 


COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS      263 

hand  awaited  developments.  Shortly  after  midnight,  he 
was  surprised  to  see  one  of  his  colored  neighbors  stealthily 
approach  his  premises  and  proceed  to  help  himself  to 
several  more  choice  fowls  and  another  pig.  The  farmer 
pointed  the  shot  gun  in  the  direction  of  the  thief,  ordered 
him  to  replace  the  stolen  property  where  it  belonged,  and 
then  to  get  down  on  his  knees  and  solemnly  promise  never 
again  to  steal  any  more  chickens  or  pigs.  The  "  darkey  " 
replaced  the  stolen  property  as  ordered,  and  then  turning 
to  his  neighbor  remarked  that,  while  he  was  willing  to 
carry  out  that  part  of  his  order,  he  did  not  propose  "  to 
sign  away  any  of  his  rights." 

Wise  parents,  sensible  teachers,  and  prudent  boards  of 
education  never  indulge  in  threats  as  to  what  will  be  done, 
or  in  promises  as  to  what  will  not  be  done  in  the  future. 
They  fully  appreciate  the  meaning  of  the  injunction  — 
"  Sufficient  unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof."  "  In  the 
place  of  the  parent  "  is  the  legal  status  of  teachers,  which 
has  been  repeatedly  sustained  by  the  highest  courts  of 
the  different  states.  Neither  parents  nor  teachers  have 
any  right,  moral  or  legal,  to  abuse  children  in  any  way. 
Both  parents  and  teachers  have  the  right,  and  it  is  their 
duty,  so  to  discipline  children  as  to  develop  in  them  the 
traits  of  character  which  are  fundamentally  necessary  in  all 
good  citizens.  It  is  always  desirable  and  usually  possible 
to  secure  such  discipline  without  resort  to  corporal  punish- 
ment. In  the  few  instances  in  which  it  is  necessary  to 
use  such  punishment,  teachers  should  not  be  interfered 
with  either  by  unwise  parents  who  are  incapable  of  secur- 
ing home  discipline,  or  by  imprudent  boards  of  education 
whose  members  pass  unnecessary  rules  for  the  guidance  of 


264  COOPERATION 

teachers.  In  no  instance  is  it  wise  for  parents,  teachers, 
or  boards  of  education  "  to  sign  away  any  of  their  rights." 

Parental  cooperation  in  school  discipline.  —  That  the 
problem  of  school  discipline  is  a  difficult  one  is  evident  to 
all  who  have  given  it  any  thoughtful  consideration.  The 
old  saying  that  it  is  hard  to  manage  forty  boys  and  girls  — 
not  forty  acting  like  one,  but  each  one  acting  like  forty  — 
helps  us  to  a  realization  of  what  the  problem  really  is. 
The  marvel  is  that  the  public  schools,  with  their  millions 
of  pupils,  move  on  in  their  important  work  with  so  little 
friction  in  their  discipline.  So  seldom  is  there  any  serious 
trouble  in  their  management  that,  when  any  difficulties 
do  arise,  the  newspapers  usually  publish  a  sensational 
account  of  them  as  a  choice  morsel  of  news.  It  is  within 
the  bounds  of  truth  to  state  that  the  average  public  school 
runs  with  less  friction  in  its  government  than  the  average 
home.  Parents  will  no  doubt  admit  that,  in  their  own 
homes,  with  their  own  children,  scenes  sometimes  occur, 
which  they  would  not  like  to  see  described  in  the  news- 
papers in  the  manner  which  too  often  characterizes  news- 
paper accounts  of  occasional  school  difficulties.  The  ex- 
periences of  parents  with  their  own  children  should  lead 
them  to  be  more  sympathetic  with  teachers  in  their  difficult 
task,  and  less  critical  of  their  actions,  even  should  they 
happen  to  make  mistakes.  If  parents  cannot  always  be 
patient  with  the  actions  of  their  own  children,  they  should 
not  be  too  severe  in  their  denunciation  of  teachers  who  may 
occasionally  manifest  impatience  with  the  actions  of  forty 
or  more  children  of  different  dispositions  and  tempera- 
ments, coming  from  all  types  and  kinds  of  homes. 

Parental  anxiety  —  and  what  parent  is  not  anxious  about 


COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS     265 

his  own  children?  —  may  well  stop  to  ponder  the  anxiety  of 
teachers  as  they  strive  to  devise  ways  and  means  to  help 
the  children  in  the  struggles  that  must  always  accompany 
growth  in  character,  and  as  they  work  on  day  by  day  with 
the  children,  with  the  knowledge  that  failure  sometimes 
results  from  their  most  earnest  efforts.  The  sympathy  of 
parents  with  teachers  is  one  of  the  greatest  needs  of  the 
public  schools.  Because  of  a  lack  of  this  sympathy  many 
teachers  fail.  Without  such  sympathy  there  can  be  no 
cooperation  between  teachers  and  patrons. 

The  school  a  disciplinary  force.  —  Few  people  fully 
realize  the  great  value  of  the  public  school  to  any  com- 
munity, simply  as  a  disciplinary  force.  In  too  many  in- 
stances the  public  school  is  the  only  place  where  children 
are  taught  obedience  of  any  kind.  As  an  illustration  of  such 
an  instance,  the  experience  of  a  superintendent  of  schools 
is  in  place. 

As  this  superintendent  glanced  out  of  his  office  window 
one  morning,  he  noticed  that  a  father  and  mother  were 
approaching  the  school  building  and  attempting  to  bring 
their  small  boy  with  them.  He  was  pulling  back  with  all 
his  might  and  declaring  in  a  most  emphatic  manner  that 
he  would  not  go  to  school.  The  combined  efforts  of  the 
father  and  mother  finally  succeeded  in  overcoming  the 
frantic  efforts  of  the  boy  who  was  dragged  into  the  super- 
intendent's office.  Standing  there  with  a  rebellious,  dis- 
obedient, and  determined  spirit  showing  in  his  every  look 
and  movement,  he  was  the  product  of  that  lack  of  home 
discipline  which  sometimes  makes  the  discipline  of  the 
school  so  difficult.  Holding  on  to  their  boy,  who  gave 
many  indications  of  a  determination  to  escape,  should  the 


266  COOPERATION 

slightest  opportunity  present  itself,  the  parents  made  the 
humiliating  confession  that  he  was  entirely  beyond  their 
control  and  that  he  would  not  obey  them  at  all.  They  then 
expressed  the  hope  that  the  school  might  succeed  in  doing 
what  they,  as  parents,  admitted  they  had  failed  to  do. 
The  superintendent  placed  this  disobedient,  willful  boy  in 
charge  of  a  primary  teacher  whose  room  was  already  over- 
crowded. In  a  few  weeks,  he  had  learned  by  kind  but 
exceedingly  firm  treatment  to  keep  step  to  the  splendid 
discipline  of  a  modern  primary  school,  and  to  do  what  he 
was  requested  to  do  by  his  teacher.  In  a  few  months  the 
boy's  father  appeared  before  the  board  of  education  to 
complain  of  what  he  termed  the  harsh  discipline  of  the 
school.  It  is  usually  the  fathers  or  mothers  of  such  boys 
who  are  apt  to  complain  about  the  discipline  of  the  school 
and  to  criticize  the  teacher  who  succeeds  in  doing  what 
they,  as  parents,  confess  they  have  been  unable  to  do.  Few 
parents  who  have  totally  failed  in  home  discipline  are 
willing  to  cooperate  with  teachers  in  school  discipline. 
When  obedience  is  taught  and  enforced  in  the  home,  the 
problem  of  school  discipline  is  usually  easily  solved.  But 
when  there  is  a  lack  of  parental  control,  coupled  with 
constant  criticism  of  the  teacher  who  insists  upon  a  proper 
regard  for  the  authority  of  the  school  together  with  obe- 
dience to  all  reasonable  requirements,  effective  school 
discipline  is  made  much  more  difficult. 

An  example  of  cooperation  of  teacher  and  parent.  — 
Another  incident  in  the  experience  of  a  village  school 
principal  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  spirit  of  cooperation 
which  should  characterize  parents  in  their  relations  with 
teachers.  This  principal  had  charge  of  the  room  in  which 


COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS     267 

were  seated  all  the  advanced  pupils.  The  enrollment  was 
large  and  included  pupils  of  varied  capacities  and  needs. 
The  number  of  different  subjects  to  be  taught  to  the  large 
number  of  pupils  made  the  work  exceedingly  difficult.  In 
addition  to  his  duties  as  teacher  of  his  own  pupils,  the 
principal  was  expected  to  supervise  the  work  of  the  other 
teachers,  to  exercise  a  general  oversight  of  the  playground, 
to  attend  to  the  general  discipline  of  the  entire  school,  and 
to  meet  all  the  requirements,  both  in  school  and  out  of 
school,  which  came  to  a  village  school  principal  at  the  time 
in  which  he  served.  In  his  own  room  was  a  boy  with 
marked  ability  to  prepare  lessons  with  rapidity  as  well  as 
to  make  trouble,  when  he  was  not  engaged  in  study.  In 
theory  it  is  easy  to  suggest  that  all  that  is  necessary  to 
control  such  a  boy  is  to  keep  him  busy  with  purposeful 
work.  In  practice  all  teachers  know  that,  with  scores  of 
other  pupils  to  look  after,  it  is  not  always  possible  to  carry 
out  such  a  theory  with  a  mischief-making  pupil. 

One  forenoon  the  boy  in  question  was  more  troublesome 
than  usual  and  was  requested  to  remain  at  noon  for  a 
conference  with  the  principal.  In  this  conference  an  appeal 
was  made  to  him  to  stop  the  practices  which  had  annoyed 
his  teacher  and  disturbed  the  school.  The  appeal  was  ac- 
companied with  some  very  definite  statements  as  to  what 
would  follow  if  he  did  not  of  his  own  accord  change  his 
conduct.  When  the  boy  reached  home,  his  father,  who  had 
finished  his  lunch,  asked  him  why  he  was  late.  In  the 
appealing  tone  of  voice  so  easily  assumed  by  boys  of  his 
type,  he  replied  that  he  had  been  kept  in.  The  father  then 
asked  what  he  had  been  kept  in  for.  The  boy's  laconic 
reply —  the  reply  usually  given  under  such  circumstances  — 


268  COOPERATION 

was  "  Nothing."  The  father  then  told  him  that,  since 
he  had  been  kept  in  for  "  nothing  "  it  would  be  necessary 
to  proceed  at  once  to  protect  him  from  such  injustice  in  the 
future.  The  only  way  to  insure  such  protection  would  be 
for  the  father  and  the  boy  to  visit  the  principal,  who  lived 
only  a  short  distance  away,  with  the  purpose  of  righting 
the  wrong  which  had  been  done  to  the  boy.  When  this 
proposal  was  made,  the  boy  immediately  surrendered,  with 

the  observation  —  "  Don't  take  me  up  there.     Mr 

(the  principal)  is  the  last  man  on  earth  I  want  to  meet, 
with  you  along!  "  The  principal,  not  knowing  what  was 
happening  in  the  boy's  home  at  the  time,  had  gone  to  his 
own  home  for  lunch.  He  ate  little,  because  he  was  too 
much  worried  to  care  for  food.  He  feared  that  he  might 
not  have  pursued  the  wisest  course.  He  was  anxious  about 
the  future  results  of  the  conference.  Badly  discouraged 
he  started  back  to  school.  Glancing  ahead,  he  noticed  that 
the  father  was  standing  on  the  sidewalk,  evidently  waiting 
to  see  him.  There  at  once  came  to  him  the  thought  that 
the  father  would  condemn  him  and  defend  the  boy,  and 
he  prepared  for  the  ordeal  which  he  imagined  confronted 
him.  To  his  surprise,  the  father  met  him  in  a  most  cordial 
manner,  and  then  proceeded  to  relate  the  conversation 
which  he  had  just  had  with  his  boy.  He  followed  this  with 
the  suggestion  that  he  suspected  that  the  boy  was  hard  to 
manage,  since  he  was  evidently  a  "  chip  off  of  the  old 
block." 

The  cordial  manner  shown  by  the  father  and  his  willing- 
ness to  admit  that  his  boy  was  not  an  angel,  opened  up  the 
way  to  a  friendly  consideration  of  his  misconduct  and  led 
to  a  thorough  understanding  of  how  the  home  and  school 


COOPERATION  OF  TEACHERS  AND  PATRONS     269 

could  cooperate  in  bringing  about  the  needed  reform.  The 
boy  was  an  only  child.  The  father  admitted  that,  at 
times,  it  was  difficult  for  his  parents  to  decide  upon  what 
was  best  to  be  done  to  insure  the  best  results,  and  then  in 
the  spirit  of  true  cooperation  said  to  the  principal  that  he 
believed  that,  working  together,  the  parents  and  teacher 
could  save  the  boy.  After  that  interview,  the  principal  re- 
turned to  his  school  with  a  light  heart,  in  the  full  knowledge 
that  no  trouble  could  come  in  relation  to  the  behavior  of  the 
boy  which  could  not  be  satisfactorily  met,  because  of  the 
assured  cooperation  between  the  parents  and  teacher.  To 
save  boys  and  girls  to  lives  of  usefulness  is  the  chief  business 
of  both  the  home  and  the  public  school.  To  succeed  in 
this  mission  requires  the  united  efforts  of  parents  and 
teachers.  Without  the  sympathetic  support  of  the  home, 
the  best  efforts  of  the  school  are  often  of  little  avail.  And 
the  saddest  thing  about  the  failure  which  results  from  a 
lack  of  cooperation  between  parents  and  teachers  is  that 
the  children  involved  pay  the  penalty. 

Lincoln's  appeal  to  Americans.  —  One  of  the  chief  factors 
in  making  and  keeping  the  world  safe  for  democracy  is 
education  which  leads  to  respect  for  authority  and  obedience 
to  law.  Long  ago,  Abraham  Lincoln  recognized  the  im- 
portance of  such  education  and  urged  that  it  be  made 
universal  in  homes,  schools,  and  churches.  On  January 
27,  1837,  he  delivered  his  remarkable  address  on  "  The 
Perpetuation  of  Our  Political  Institutions."  The  following 
quotation  from  this  address  should  be  so  taught  to  all 
American  youth  that  its  sentiments  will  find  a  place  in 
their  hearts  and  its  teachings  will  be  practiced  in  their 
lives : 


270  COOPERATION 

"Let  every  American,  every  lover  of  liberty,  every  well  wisher 
to  his  posterity  swear  by  the  blood  of  the  Revolution  never  to  violate 
in  the  least  particular  the  laws  of  the  country,  and  never  to  tolerate 
their  violation  by  others.  As  the  patriots  of  seventy-six  did  to  the 
support  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  so  to  the  support  of  the 
Constitution  and  laws  let  every  American  pledge  his  life,  his  property, 
and  his  sacred  honor  —  let  every  man  remember  that  to  violate  the 
law  is  to  trample  on  the  blood  of  his  father,  and  to  tear  the  charter 
of  his  own  and  his  children's  liberty.  Let  reverence  for  the  law  be 
breathed  by  every  American  mother  to  the  lisping  babe  that  prattles 
on  her  lap ;  let  it  be  taught  in  schools,  in  seminaries,  and  in  colleges ; 
let  it  be  written  in  primers,  spelling  books,  and  in  almanacs ;  let  it 
be  preached  from  the  pulpit,  proclaimed  in  legislative  halls,  and  en- 
forced in  courts  of  justice.  And  in  short,  let  it  become  the  political 
religion  of  the  nation ;  and  let  the  old  and  the  young,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  the  grave  and  the  gay  of  all  sexes  and  tongues  and  colors  and 
conditions,  sacrifice  unceasingly  upon  its  altars." 

In- this  commercial  age  when  the  cry  against  any  attempt 
to  enforce  the  laws  against  dishonest  practices  is  so  often 
heard  from  those  who  claim  that  such  enforcement  is  a 
menace  to  the  business  interests  of  the  country,  Lincoln's 
appeal  "  never  to  violate  in  the  least  particular  the  laws 
of  the  country,  and  never  to  tolerate  their  violation  by 
others,"  comes  with  renewed  force.  To  this  call  for  respect 
for  authority  and  obedience  to  law  all  homes  and  schools 
should  rally  with  determination  to  cooperate  in  every 
possible  way  in  teaching  to  the  children  of  the  nation  such 
lessons  of  obedience  as  will  insure  a  law-abiding  citizenship 
in  the  days  to  come. 


XX 

PARENTS  AND  THE  SCHOOL 

IN  the  important  work  of  securing  the  application  and 
industry  necessary  for  pupils  to  obtain  an  education, 
the  help  of  the  home  is  an  absolute  necessity  to  the 
success  of  the  school.  In  these  days  of  marvelous  progress 
in  science  and  in  invention,  care  must  be  exercised  by 
those  in  educational  authority  lest  the  people  become 
inoculated  with  the  notion  that  there  is  after  all  some 
royal  road  to  learning  over  which  children  can  be  carried, 
without  effort  on  their  part,  to  an  education.  We  now 
talk  so  far  and  with  such  great  ease,  travel  so  rapidly  and 
comfortably  at  so  little  expense,  and  enjoy  so  many  material 
comforts  and  mechanical  conveniences  that  it  is  difficult 
not  to  conclude  that  there  ought  to  be  some  way  of  getting 
an  education  without  any  great  amount  of  application  and 
industry  or  serious  effort. 

The  progress  of  science  and  invention.  —  At  the  Phila- 
delphia Centennial  there  was  an  electrical  exhibit  which  at 
that  time  was  considered  marvelous.  Three  electric  nov- 
elties were  of  intense  interest  to  all  who  witnessed  this 
exhibit.  They  were  the  electric  light,  the  telephone,  and  a 
small  trolley  car  which  was  operated  at  certain  hours  each 
day  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  crowds  of  people  who 
were  present.  Backward  and  forward  along  the  miniature 
track  on  which  it  ran,  this  wonderful  car  made  its  mysterious 

271 


272  COOPERATION 

journeys.  The  fact  that  it  was  moved  by  an  invisible 
power  led  some  persons  to  suspect  that  a  magician,  hidden 
somewhere  near  by,  was  directing  its  movements.  In  fact 
an  elderly  man  one  day  expressed  what  was  in  the  minds  of 
many,  who  were  watching  the  moving  car,  by  the  obser- 
vation :  "  You  can't  fool  me.  There's  somebody  some- 
where pushin'  that  thing. "  More  than  one  visitor  to  the 
Centennial  came  away  feeling  that  this  explanation  was  the 
correct  one.  Very  few  of  the  observers,  with  the  possible 
exception  of  the  scientists  who  knew  the  facts  and  who, 
with  something  of  prophetic  vision,  could  foresee  the 
wonderful  future  of  electricity,  ever  dreamed  that  those 
electric  novelties  would  ever  come  into  general  use.  But 
what  were  novelties  and  curiosities  then  are  prime  necessities 
in  the  social  and  business  life  of  to-day.  The  electric  light 
is  now  found  everywhere,  in  country  as  well  as  in  city, 
literally  turning  night  into  day.  We  constantly  use  the 
telephone,  often  wondering  how  we  ever  lived  without  it. 
And  we  are  told  that  in  the  near  future  we  may  be  able  to 
sit  in  our  homes  or  offices  and  talk  to  our  friends  anywhere 
and  everywhere  with  no  "  hello-girl "  to  intervene  or 
"  automatic  busy-buzz  "  to  interfere.  Trolley  cars  are  no 
longer  confined  to  cities  and  towns,  but  carry  their  millions 
of  passengers  everywhere  throughout  the  country. 

No  royal  road  to  learning.  —  It  is  perhaps  not  surprising 
that  in  the  midst  of  all  this  rapid  change  and  progress  in 
material  things,  there  should  be  many  parents  and  some 
teachers  who  have  formed  the  hasty  and  false  conclusion 
that,  by  this  time,  some  inventive  genius  in  the  educational 
world  should  have  provided  some  kind  of  electric  educa- 
tional railway  on  which  children  can  be  placed  at  from  four 


PARENTS  AND  THE  SCHOOL  273 

to  six  years  of  age,  a  few  nickels  be  dropped  into  the  slot 
to  pay  their  passage,  and  no  further  attention  be  paid  to 
them  by  the  home  until  they  are  graduated  at  the  other  end 
of  the  line,  with  a  diploma  as  a  sort  of  remembrance  of  the 
pleasures  of  the  delightful  journey  which  was  characterized 
by  the  constant  presence  of  ease  and  the  complete  absence 
of  effort.  In  too  many  instances  parents  seem  to  be  more 
anxious  to  have  their  children  go  through  school  than  they 
are  to  have  the  school  go  through  their  children.  With 
such  parents  graduation  is  considered  far  more  important 
than  education.  In  the  language  of  Dean  Briggs  of  Har- 
vard University, 

"Many  parents  regard  school  and  college  as  far  less  serious  in 
demands  than  business ;  a  place  of  delightful  irresponsibility  where 
youth  may  disport  himself  for  a  season  before  he  is  condemned  to  hard 
labor." 

Parental  mistakes.  —  Parents  of  this  type  are  a  real 
menace  to  the  success  of  any  school.  Their  influence  both 
in  their  own  homes  with  their  own  children  and  in  the  com- 
munity where  they  live  is  always  harmful.  Should  they 
happen  to  be,  as  they  sometimes  are,  influential  in  financial 
circles  and  able  to  purchase  social  standing,  they  can  make 
serious  trouble  for  teachers  and  superintendents  who  insist 
that  application  and  industry  are  absolutely  necessary  for 
all  pupils  rich  or  poor. 

No  school,  however  efficient,  can  give  an  education  to  any 
one.  If  such  a  thing  were  possible,  no  doubt  the  percentage 
of  educated  people  would  be  much  larger  than  at  present. 
Fortunately  an  education  cannot  be  bought.  If  it  could, 
thousands  of  rich  people,  who  are  unwilling  to  have  their 

OUR   PUB.    S. 1 8 


274  COOPERATION 

children  pay  the  price  of  application  and  industry  to  secure 
an  education,  would  bid  high  in  the  market  for  even  a 
small  supply.  All  that  any  school  can  give  to  any  one  is  a 
chance  to  work  out  his  own  educational  salvation.  There 
are  not  and  there  cannot  be  any  short  cuts  to  an  education. 
There  are  no  easy  ways  of  learning  to  think.  Work  may 
be  made  pleasanter  and  school  life  may  be  made  happier 
by  better  methods  and  wiser  teachers.  But  hard  work  will 
ever  remain  a  prime  necessity  in  winning  honorable  success 
either  in  obtaining  an  education  or  in  using  it  after  it  is 
obtained. 

Country  boys  versus  city  boys.  —  The  success  of  country- 
bred  men  is  a  matter  of  frequent  reference  and  favorable 
comment.  There  is  no  denying  the  fact  that  a  large  major- 
ity of  the  most  successful  business  and  professional  men 
were  reared  in  the  country  in  the  midst  of  many  apparent 
disadvantages.  Two  factors  have  entered  into  their  early 
training,  which  will,  in  a  measure  at  least,  help  to  explain 
their  success,  sometimes  credited  to  the  supposed  mental 
and  moral  superiority  of  country  boys  as  compared  with 
town  or  city  boys  —  a  superiority  which  has  no  existence 
in  fact. 

Country  boys  are  usually  so  trained  in  early  life,  both 
by  teaching  and  by  experience,  as  to  cause  them  to  take 
responsibility  seriously.  The  assumption  of  such  respon- 
sibility leads  them  to  take  the  initiative,  when  necessary, 
in  doing  the  work  of  the  home.  The  many  chores  which 
are  incident  to  the  life  of  the  farm  all  tend  to  develop  the 
sense  of  responsibility  and  the  habit  of  taking  the  initiative 
in  doing  things  which  need  to  be  done.  Country  boys  do 
not  usually  have  any  greater  longing  for  such  performance 


PARENTS  AND  THE  SCHOOL  275 

of  duty  than  their  city  cousins.  But  in  the  experience  of 
the  former,  the  tasks  are  present  and  must  be  performed, 
while  in  the  life  of  the  latter,  the  absence  of  such  demands 
tends  to  develop  the  inertia  of  rest  rather  than  that  of 
motion  and  to  produce  habits  of  idleness  rather  than  a 
willingness  to  work.  The  constant  presence  of  work  of 
some  kind  demanding  careful  attention  on  the  farm  is  a 
strong  factor  in  training  country  boys  in  the  habits  of 
industry  so  necessary  in  winning  success.  The  almost 
complete  absence  of  work  for  city  boys  in  the  unoccupied 
hours  of  their  school  days,  and  especially  during  vacation, 
is  a  constant  menace  to  their  welfare  as  well  as  a  constant 
source  of  anxiety  to  thoughtful  parents  who  realize  that 
the  "  devil  always  has  something  for  idle  hands  to  do." 

Several  years  ago  a  prominent  citizen  of  a  large  city,  in 
talking  with  an  intimate  friend,  remarked  that  he  was 
sometimes  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  with  his  three  boys 
during  the  summer  time  —  that  he  was  afraid  of  the  idle- 
ness of  the  vacation.  The  friend,  knowing  that  this 
father,  like  himself,  was  reared  on  the  farm,  could  not 
refrain  from  smiling  as  he  inquired  whether,  in  his  boyhood 
home,  there  was  ever  any  similar  anxiety  of  those  in 
authority.  All  who  were  reared  on  the  farm  can  readily 
answer  this  inquiry.  They  will  recall  that  in  their  boy- 
hood days  all  the  farmers  seemed  to  have  work  planned 
ahead  for  at  least  twenty-five  years,  even  the  rainy  days 
being  fully  provided  for  with  work  in  the  barn  or  wood- 
house.  To  this  father,  however,  the  problem  was  a  very 
different  one.  He  had  good  reason  to  be  anxious  about 
his  three  boys  and  to  be  afraid  of  the  idleness  of  the  vaca- 
tion in  a  large  city.  Those  three  boys  have  since  grown 


276  COOPERATION 

to  manhood.  All  of  them  are  now  filling  important  places 
in  business  and  professional  life.  All  are  young  men  of 
character  —  a  credit  and  a  comfort  to  their  parents.  And 
they  are  what  they  are  largely  because  their  father's  fear 
of  the  idleness  of  the  vacation  led  him  to  see  to  it  that  his 
boys  always  had  something  to  do  in  the  vacation  time. 
The  work  which  was  secured  for  them,  or  which  they  often 
took  the  initiative  in  securing  for  themselves,  was  not 
usually  such  as  could  be  performed  with  unsoiled  hands,  or 
without  tired  muscles.  But  however  exacting  the  demands, 
they  were  cheerfully  met. 

Importance  of  home  training.  —  In  many  cities  much  is 
being  done  to  improve  the  opportunities  of  children  for 
work.  Vacation  schools  are  being  established  and  indus- 
trial training  introduced.  But  none  of  these  things  can 
ever  fully  take  the  place  of  home  training  which  strives 
constantly  to  impress  children  with  a  sense  of  responsibility 
in  the  performance  of  home  duties,  and  which  persistently 
insists  upon  home  work  in  the  preparation  of  lessons  — 
home  work,  not  by  the  parents  for  the  children,  but  by  the 
children  for  themselves.  One  of  the  inexplainable  things 
which  teachers  are  often  compelled  to  witness  with  sincere 
regret  is  the  constant  effort  of  parents  who  are  strong  in 
ability  and  character,  because  of  having  been  compelled 
to  work  their  own  way  to  success  in  the  midst  of  dis- 
advantages, to  remove  every  semblance  of  difficulty  from 
the  educational  pathway  of  their  children.  In  their  attempt 
to  relieve  their  children  of  all  hard  work  by  practically 
getting  their  lessons  for  them,  such  parents,  through  mis- 
taken kindness,  rob  them  of  an  opportunity  to  grow  strong 
by  means  of  the  discipline  of  self-help.  In  too  many 


PARENTS   AND   THE   SCHOOL  277 

instances  the  benefits  of  home  study  are  lost  to  children 
because  of  the  mistaken  kindness  of  an  over-indulgent 
father  or  mother. 

In  some  instances  children  of  wealthy  families  turn  out 
to  be  worthless  in  life,  because  they  are  not  taught  either 
to  work,  themselves,  or  to  respect  those  who  do  work.  If 
the  public  school  insists  upon  honest  effort  as  the  only 
condition  of  success,  such  children  are  either  permitted  to 
quit  school  or  are  sent  to  some  fashionable  private  school 
where  money  is  supposed  to  be  able  to  purchase  what  the 
children  have  been  unwilling  or  incompetent  to  earn  by 
their  own  efforts.  In  other  instances  parents  who  have 
worked  their  way  through  college  send  their  indolent  sons 
to  the  most  expensive  institution  the  country  affords, 
and  give  them  all  the  money  they  want  to  be  squandered 
in  dissipation.  When  vacation  comes  such  sons  sometimes 
have  to  be  sent  to  some  seaside  resort  to  recuperate  their 
energies  for  another  year  of  dissipation.  Unfortunately, 
there  are  still  a  few  so-called  schools  which  harbor  young 
people  of  this  type. 

Hard  work  necessary  to  success.  —  Sometimes  children 
of  real  promise  are  spoiled  by  being  made  to  feel  that, 
because  they  are  bright,  hard  study  is  unnecessary.  It  is 
dangerous  for  young  persons  to  entertain  the  notion  that 
they  can  succeed  by  their  wits  without  honest,  persistent 
effort.  Thomas  Edison  has  been  quoted  as  saying  that 
success  is  made  up  of  five  per  cent  of  native  ability  and 
ninety-five  per  cent  of  hard  work.  Whether  this  statement 
represents  the  relative  proportions  of  the  ingredients  of 
which  success  is  composed  may  be  a  debatable  question. 
But  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  the  probabilities 


278  COOPERATION 

of  doing  something  worth  while  in  the  world  are  much 
greater  for  students  who  put  forth  one  hundred  per  cent 
of  effort  in  connection  with  a  relatively  small  per  cent  of 
ability  than  for  students  who  have  one  hundred  per  cent 
of  ability  but  who  put  forth  only  a  relatively  small  per 
cent  of  effort.  It  is  possible  that  if  class  honors,  usually 
conferred  on  commencement  day,  were  deferred  for  fifteen 
or  twenty  years  after  graduation,  a  more  just  recognition 
of  real  worth  might  be  given.  It  would  then  be  made 
plain  that  not  simply  native  ability  alone  is  essential  to 
success  but  that  constant  use  of  and  application  of  that 
ability  in  persistent  hard  work  on  the  problems  of  life  are 
even  more  important. 

Lowering  the  standards.  —  One  of  the  danger  points  in 
school  administration  is  found  in  the  tendency  to  heed 
demands  to  let  down  the  standard  of  effort  and  to  assume 
that,  if  children  attend  school  with  a  fair  degree  of  regu- 
larity, they  will  absorb  knowledge  and  the  ability  to  use  it. 
These  demands  sometimes  come  in  the  form  of  an  insistence 
by  some  parents  that  no  home  study  be  required  of  children 
under  any  circumstances.  Sensational  papers  and  maga- 
zines join  in  these  demands  with  the  specious  plea  that  boys 
and  girls  in  the  public  schools  must  be  protected  from 
"  nervous  prostration "  due  to  overwork  in  grammar 
schools  and  high  schools.  It  is  possible  that  there  may  be 
found  in  the  public  schools  a  few  girls  who  are  the  victims 
of  overwork  resulting  from  the  demands  of  over-ambitious 
parents  or  the  requirements  of  unreasonable  teachers. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  much  larger  number  can  be 
found  who  are  the  victims  of  "  nervous  prostration " 
because  of  premature  entrance  into  society,  which  takes 


PARENTS   AND    THE    SCHOOL  279 

them  out  to  parties,  dances,  and  theaters  several  nights 
each  week,  when  they  should  be  at  home  in  bed  getting 
wholesome  sleep.  Examples  of  boys  overworked  in  the 
public  schools  are  hard  to  find.  But  examples  of  boys 
ruined  in  body,  mind,  and  soul  by  cigarette  smoking,  per- 
mitted in  some  homes  and  even  encouraged  by  the  practices 
of  some  fathers,  are  found  on  every  hand. 

It  is  highly  important  that  all  sensible  parents  cooperate 
with  teachers  in  protecting  the  schools  against  the  demands 
that  standards  of  work  be  lowered  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  parents  who  care  more  for  society  than  they  do  for 
education,  and  in  giving  proper  recognition  of  the  value  of 
application  and  industry  in  the  lives  of  children. 

Unfair  criticism  of  teachers.  —  Fairness  and  justice 
demand  that  teachers  should  never  be  condemned  without 
a  hearing.  Our  constitution  guarantees  that  the  worst 
criminal  shall  be  confronted  by  his  accusers  and  be  given  a 
chance  not  only  to  defend  himself  but  also  to  have  an 
attorney  to  conduct  his  defense  at  the  expense  of  the 
state ;  that  the  trial  be  conducted  by  an  impartial  judge ; 
and  that  the  final  decision  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of 
the  accused  shall  be  determined  by  a  jury  of  twelve  men 
sworn  to  render  a  verdict  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
evidence  presented. 

Public  school  teachers  are  not  always  accorded  this 
courtesy.  Too  often  they  are  the  victims  of  unfair  criticism 
by  parents  who  act  upon  "  hearsay  "  evidence  which  would 
not  be  permitted  in  any  court  of  justice  engaged  in  the 
trial  of  criminals  of  any  type.  Not  infrequently  teachers 
are  condemned  without  a  hearing  upon  silly  reports  of 
what  really  never  happened.  Because  of  these  unfair  criti- 


280  COOPERATION 

cisms  and  the  resulting  unjust  condemnation  of  teachers, 
it  is  necessary  that  a  plea  be  made  that  the  home  help  the 
school  by  such  cooperation  on  the  part  of  parents  as  will 
lead  them  to  pay  no  attention  to  the  idle  rumors  afloat  in 
all  communities  regarding  the  work  of  the  school,  or  to  the 
necessarily  biased  reports  of  alleged  partiality  or  injustice 
of  teachers.  In  the  majority  of  instances  such  rumors  and 
reports  originate  with  children  who  have  been  justly 
disciplined  for  some  offense  and  who  desire  to  make  trouble 
for  the  teacher.  The  sleeping  car  passenger  who  was 
aroused  and  urged  to  desist  from  his  loud  snoring  which 
was  keeping  all  the  other  passengers  awake,  and  who,  in 
reply  to  his  question,  "  How  do  you  know  I  was  snoring?  " 
was  told  that  every  one  heard  him,  and  who  then  replied, 
"  Well,  you  mustn't  believe  all  you  hear,"  stated  a  truth 
which,  if  heeded  by  parents,  would  bring  great  relief  to 
teachers  who  are  not  infrequently  misrepresented  and  mis- 
understood because  of  the  credence  given  to  idle  rumors. 

Gossip.  —  Some  of  us  can  vividly  recall  a  game  that  was 
quite  popular  in  the  country  schools  which  we  attended. 
This  game  was  played  on  rainy  days  when  outdoor  sports 
were  not  possible.  How  distinctly  memory  recalls  the 
appearance  of  the  semi-circle  formed  in  the  old  schoolhouse 
and  composed  of  two  or  three  scores  of  boys  and  girls.  At 
the  head,  seated  close  together,  were  the  older  boys  and 
girls  who  had  reached  the  age  when  they  were  intensely 
interesting  to  one  another.  Next  in  order,  seated  by  them- 
selves, came  the  smaller  girls  who  had  not  reached  that 
period.  Last  of  all  came  the  forlorn  little  boys  who  did  not 
think  they  ever  would  reach  it.  Those  who  occupied  the 
extreme  foot  of  this  latter  class  may  still  recall  the  suffer- 


PARENTS  AND  THE  SCHOOL  281 

ing  caused  by  the  bashfulness  which  characterized  them  at 
that  time.  Boys  of  this  age  and  type  need  and  should  have 
all  the  sympathy  which  can  come  to  them  from  all  possible 
sources.  Boys  who  are  too  old  to  be  interesting  to  the  old 
women  of  the  community  but  who  are  not  old  enough  to  be 
interesting  to  the  young  girls  are  in  a  precarious  condition. 

But  to  return  to  the  game.  The  girl  who  sat  at  the  head 
whispered  into  the  ear  of  the  boy  next  to  her  a  long  meaning- 
less sentence.  This  was  done  with  such  haste  and  in  such 
an  indistinct,  incoherent  manner,  as  to  render  it  impossible 
to  understand  what  was  thus  whispered.  The  boy  in  turn 
told  what  he  pretended  to  hear  to  his  neighbor,  always 
adding  a  little  on  his  own  account  to  the  strange  medley 
of  words  rapidly  passing  along  the  line.  Finally  the  last 
boy  was  reached.  Silence  then  reigned  for  a  brief  space 
of  time  as  all  eyes  and  ears  were  turned,  first  to  the  girl 
at  the  head  as  she  slowly  repeated  the  statement  with  which 
the  message  began,  and  then  to  the  boy  at  the  foot  as  he 
in  turn  related  what  had  reached  him  at  the  other  end  of  the 
line.  After  the  shouts  of  laughter  which  followed  had 
died  away  the  game  was  repeated,  the  fun  growing  with 
each  round.  The  laughter  was  due,  of  course,  to  the  fact 
that  there  was  never  any  resemblance  between  the  state- 
ment with  which  the  girl  at  the  head  started  the  game 
and  the  final  report  of  the  boy  at  the  foot. 

This  game  was  called  "  Gossip."  Few,  if  any  of  the  boys 
and  girls  who  played  the  game  knew  what  the  word  meant. 
All  of  them  who  have  since  taught  school  have  learned  its 
meaning  by  experiencing  the  harmful  results  which  have 
come  from  the  gossip  of  the  communities  in  which  they 
have  taught.  Unfortunately  all  communities  have  homes 


282  COOPERATION 

in  which  idle  rumor,  no  matter  how  unreasonable,  is  certain 
to  find  sympathetic  listeners,  and  the  tongue  of  gossip,  no 
matter  how  ridiculous  its  story,  is  certain  to  be  given  an 
attentive  hearing.  Earnest  teachers  are  often  greatly 
embarrassed  in  their  work  because  some  parents,  and  some- 
times members  of  the  board  of  education,  persist  in  listening 
to  idle  tales  which  are  put  into  circulation  by  troublesome 
children  and  then  passed  around  in  the  community  by 
gossiping  adults. 

How  a  better  feeling  between  school  and  home  may  be 
maintained.  —  How  often  the  little  misunderstandings 
which  arise  between  parents  and  teachers  would  vanish  if 
parents  would  decline  to  listen  to  the  idle  rumors  which  so 
often  abound  in  the  community.  If,  instead  of  gossiping 
about  teachers,  parents  would  visit  the  schools  to  get 
acquainted  with  them  or  invite  them  to  their  homes  in 
order  that  they  might  learn  to  know  them  intimately,  both 
schools  and  homes  would  be  greatly  benefited.  In  the 
majority  of  instances,  parents  who  really  know  what  is 
going  on  in  the  schools  which  their  children  attend  are 
ready  to  cooperate  with  the  teachers  in  their  work.  Every 
community  has  its  citizens  who  assume  to  know  what  is 
going  on  in  schools,  which  they  never  visit,  and  who  out  of 
the  fullness  of  their  ignorance  are  always  ready  to  advise 
teachers  what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it.  Teachers  should 
always  seek  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  home  life  of 
their  pupils.  Parents  should  learn  all  that  can  be  known 
about  the  work  of  the  school.  As  the  result  of  such 
acquaintance  and  knowledge,  there  will  grow  up  between 
the  school  and  the  home  that  sympathetic  relation  without 
which  real  cooperation  is  impossible. 


PARENTS  AND   THE   SCHOOL  283 

When  parents  sustain  teachers  in  the  discipline  of  the 
school ;  when  they  support  them  in  the  enforcement  of  all 
reasonable  regulations  and  requirements  which  have  for 
their  object  the  development  of  studious  habits  together 
with  an  appreciation  of  the  necessity  of  hard  work ;  when 
they  refuse  to  listen  to  school  gossip  and  decline  to  pass 
judgment  upon  the  work  of  the  schools  and  teachers  with- 
out any  knowledge  of  either,  teaching  will  be  relieved  of 
much  that  is  discouraging  and  teachers  will  be  enabled  to 
devote  all  their  time  and  energy  to  the  welfare  of  their 
pupils. 


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